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Iran will use ‘all means’ to restore water rights from Afghanistan
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday Tehran will use all means to restore its water rights from Afghanistan and that the Islamic Emirate should take the issue seriously.
Ismail Baqaei, the spokesman for the foreign ministry, said in response to a question at a press conference on the construction of water dams in Afghanistan, that Tehran has been following the issue closely for some time now and has lodged objections to the issue of dams being built in Afghanistan, IRNA news agency reported.
“It is clear that the waters that have flowed from Afghanistan to Iran for thousands or millions of years create rights for parties on both sides of the border,” Baqaei said, adding that there is a specific agreement in this regard.
“We will use all means to restore rights in this regard,” he added.
The official also said that Iran’s acting ambassador in Kabul is following up on the issue of water rights.
The issue of water rights has been a source of tension between Afghanistan and Iran over the past few years.
Recently, Fida Hossein Maliki, a member of Iran’s parliament, expressed concern about the construction of water dams in Afghanistan and said that this issue is questionable.
He said that the current rulers of Afghanistan are treating neighboring countries, including Iran, in a way that has not been seen in the past.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized that it is committed to ensuring Iran’s rights in accordance with the 1973 treaty, but Iran must also consider that the country is dealing with a drought.
Baqaei’s comments on Monday, follow close on the heels of his remarks Friday when he underscored the critical need for cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan to maintain the natural flow of water in shared border rivers.
He also noted Iran’s long-standing role in hosting millions of Afghan nationals over the past five decades. These enduring ties, he said, underscore the importance of mutual respect and collaboration in addressing shared challenges.
On Friday, Baqaei called on Afghanistan to respect these rights and cooperate in ensuring the continued flow of water.
“The principle of good neighborliness should guide our efforts,” Baqaei stated, adding that equitable use of shared water resources is essential for the well-being of both nations.
Recently, Afghanistan’s rulers announced they had begun filling the Pashdan Dam, located near Herat on the Harirud River.
The development adds to long-standing disputes over the Helmand River, which dates back to the 19th century.
Although a 1939 treaty was drafted to address water sharing, it was never ratified by Afghanistan, leading to protracted disputes.
In 1973, the two nations agreed that Afghanistan would allow a flow of 26 cubic meters per second—equivalent to 820 million cubic meters annually—into Iran.
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UNAMA calls for greater transparency and accountability in Afghanistan’s security institutions
The report also says fear of reprisals, a lack of trust in authorities and barriers to accessing institutions discourage people from reporting alleged misconduct.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to strengthen transparency, oversight and accountability within the country’s security institutions.
In a new 38-page report, UNAMA examines measures taken by the IEA since August 2021 to oversee security institutions and address misconduct by security personnel.
The report says the authorities have taken some steps to promote discipline and oversight, including issuing directives, establishing internal monitoring units and creating new bodies tasked with addressing misconduct by security personnel.
However, UNAMA says these measures have not been accompanied by sufficient public information about complaints, investigations and disciplinary or judicial actions.
The report identifies several bodies responsible for oversight, including the Security and Filtration Commission, the High Directorate of Supervision and Monitoring of Decrees and Edicts, the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Commission for Hearing Complaints, and the Supreme Court.
“The limited amount of public information on complaints received, investigations conducted, and disciplinary or judicial actions taken by relevant de facto bodies undermine confidence and weaken deterrence,” said Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge.
UNAMA documented cases in which IEA authorities arrested and investigated security personnel accused of misconduct and referred some cases to military courts. However, the mission said many complaints reportedly remain unresolved.
The report also says fear of reprisals, a lack of trust in authorities and barriers to accessing institutions discourage people from reporting alleged misconduct. Women, in particular, face additional obstacles because of restrictions affecting their daily lives, UNAMA said.
UNAMA has recommended that the IEA authorities establish and consistently enforce clear rules and codes of conduct for security personnel, in line with international standards. It also called for clearer regulations governing the use of force, arrests, detention, searches and crowd control.
The UN mission further urged the authorities to establish safe, accessible and inclusive complaint mechanisms that allow people to report misconduct without fear of retaliation or discrimination, while protecting victims, witnesses and whistleblowers.
UNAMA also called for regular public reporting on complaints, investigations and disciplinary or judicial measures, as well as stronger systems for collecting and maintaining data on misconduct.
According to the report, greater transparency and consistent accountability could improve professionalism, strengthen public trust in security institutions and contribute to better governance, respect for human rights and Afghanistan’s engagement with the international community.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs has announced that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the purchase of gas under the TAPI project was signed on Monday in Torghundi, Herat province, between the state-owned Afghan Gas Company and
Turkmenistan’s Türkmengaz Company, in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the National Leader of Turkmenistan.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the MoU will determine the price of gas, the required volume of gas, and the gas distribution process.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, during his visit to Herat province, met with Turkmenistan’s National Leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, in Torghundi on Monday to discuss the latest progress on the TAPI project and future economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
According to a statement from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Baradar said during the meeting that work on the TAPI project in Herat is progressing well and that the remaining work is expected to be completed within the scheduled timeframe.
Baradar urged the Turkmen side to reach an agreement on the price of gas and called for the gas pricing formula to be adjusted in a way that would prevent sharp fluctuations in European markets from affecting gas prices.
He also proposed that the gas agreement be concluded for a long-term period, with simple terms and a flexible mechanism for reviewing the contract.
Baradar called for Turkmenistan’s cooperation in constructing a gas distribution and consumption network in Herat, establishing a joint technical and legal commission to address the remaining issues related to the TAPI project, and making joint efforts to create more job opportunities for Afghans through the project.
He said the TAPI project has strengthened strategic cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and stressed the need for the two sides to work together to expand trade by reopening the Aqina border crossing for oil transit, facilitating Afghan transit goods at the Turkmenbashi port, resolving existing obstacles to the reactivation of the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and rebuilding and expanding the Herat–Torghundi railway.
Baradar also called on Turkmenistan to support major economic projects in Afghanistan in the electricity and transport sectors.
During the meeting, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said relations between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have been strengthened on the basis of goodwill and good-neighborly relations, creating opportunities for cooperation in various fields.
Berd Berdimuhamedov added that Turkmenistan is ready to cooperate not only on extending the TAPI pipeline to Herat, but also on constructing a gas distribution network in the province and launching practical work on the TAP project. He said a number of foreign companies have expressed readiness to invest in the TAP project.
He further said Ashgabat is ready to provide all necessary facilities at Turkmenbashi port for Afghan transit and commercial goods.
He also stressed the need for joint efforts to reactivate the Lapis Lazuli Corridor to boost trade between the two countries and the wider region.
He assured the Afghan side that work on projects already launched in Afghanistan’s electricity and railway sectors would be completed on schedule and at an accelerated pace.
At the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed to establish a technical committee led by senior officials to follow up on and implement the TAPI, TAP, fiber-optic and railway projects and ensure that work on these projects progresses more effectively.
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