Water disputes between Afghanistan and Iran: The new regime’s (Taliban) perspective
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https://doi.org/10.66871/trf-j.v1i2.046##semicolon##
Iran##common.commaListSeparator## Taliban##common.commaListSeparator## Afghanistan##common.commaListSeparator## Water##common.commaListSeparator## Helmand River##common.commaListSeparator## Right to waterसार
One of the current issues is water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. According to projections, nearly half of the world's population would live in places with acute water shortages by 2030. The Helmand River (Hirmand river), which is an international river flowing southwest of Afghanistan and eastern Iran, once again water disputes emerged between Afghanistan and Iran after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The current study uses a descriptive-analytical approach to answer the following question: what are the elements that have contributed to the current scenario - the Taliban's water policy - and the Taliban's perspective on Iran's water rights? The research findings show various factors such as ideological differences, infrastructure built on the river, low volume of river water, and insufficient Taliban literacy of water diplomacy between countries. Helmand (Hirmand) is the only source of water for the Nimroz areas in Afghanistan and Sistan in Iran. The low volume of the river has caused people to lose their jobs and income due to direct and indirect reliance on Helmand. It is therefore suggested to both countries, compromise on a common understanding of the issue, and agree to work on a comprehensive water management plan.
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