KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran says it is seeking negotiations with Afghanistan to secure its water share from the Harirud River, amid growing regional concerns over water management and prolonged drought.
Iran’s Minister of Energy, Abbas Aliabadi, said on Tuesday that both Iran and Turkmenistan have water rights to the Harirud River, but added that talks are needed following the construction of upstream dams in Afghanistan. Speaking to reporters, and quoted by the state news agency IRNA, Aliabadi said Afghanistan had built the Salma Dam upstream, making negotiations necessary to ensure water flows to the Doosti (Friendship) Dam, a joint project between Iran and Turkmenistan.
The Harirud River, which is about 1,100 kilometres long, originates in Afghanistan’s central highlands in Lal wa Sarjangal district. It flows through the provinces of Ghor and Herat, forms part of the border between Afghanistan and Iran, and then enters Turkmenistan, where it eventually dissipates into the Karakum desert.
Iran and Turkmenistan jointly built the Doosti Dam on their shared border. Afghanistan has also constructed two dams on the Harirud: the Salma Dam and the Pashdan Dam, the latter located in Karukh district of Herat and reportedly ready for water impoundment this year.
The construction of dams and water-management infrastructure in Afghanistan has long been a source of concern for neighbouring countries, particularly Iran. Despite sharing several rivers, Iran and Afghanistan have only one formal water-sharing treaty, covering the Helmand (Hirmand) River.
In recent years, as Afghanistan has faced severe drought, Iran has repeatedly accused Kabul of violating the Helmand water treaty. Aliabadi said Iran’s president has instructed political officials to take a more active role in securing the country’s water rights from Afghanistan.
The Iranian minister added that Tehran has held numerous talks with the Taliban authorities and claimed that Iran received its full share of water last year. He said negotiations were ongoing, noting that Afghan officials had been invited twice to Iran for talks, with a third invitation extended. He added that Iran was prepared to send a delegation to Afghanistan to pursue the issue more seriously if necessary.
The dispute highlights broader regional tensions over water scarcity, climate change and upstream dam construction, as competition for dwindling water resources intensifies across the region.
