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Afghanistan, Iran form joint working group over water rights
Iranian media reported that for the first time a joint working group of environmental officials of Afghanistan and Iran was formed to follow up on the issue of water rights from the Helmand River.
According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, for several years now, water has not reached Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan from the Helmand River in Afghanistan, and it has caused problems for the livelihood of the people of the region.
According to the water treaty between the two countries, Iran is entitled to 820 million cubic meters of water from the river annually, but Iranian officials have said it only received 27 million cubic meters in the past year.
After the Iranian officials claimed that the Islamic Emirate was not committed to ensuring water rights, Kabul allowed a delegation from Iran to closely evaluate the water level in the Helmand River.
A technical delegation of Iran visited the Deh Rawood hydrometric station and found the level of water to be lower than normal due to drought.
During his recent trip to Iran, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said that the recent droughts have had a bad effect on water resources in the region, especially in Afghanistan. He said surface and underground water levels have decreased significantly.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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