Two Iranian border guards and one Taliban fighter were killed after shooting broke out near a border post between Iran and Afghanistan, sharply escalating rising tensions between the two countries amid a dispute over water rights. This comes as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi earlier this month warned the Afghan government not to violate a 1973 treaty by restricting the flow of water from Helmand River to Iran’s eastern regions.
The dispute between the two countries over water is long standing yet it has escalated in past few years and latest incident is unfortunate that should not be allowed under any circumstances to escalate the situation. Both the countries need to move forward in accordance with the spirit of their 1973 water treaty and stick to it. The Iranian concern is that construction of dam by Afghan side on Helmand River that flows into Iran will cause environmental damage mainly in its water stressed southeastern region. On the other hand, argument of Afghan government is that the construction of dams is to ensure water security in consideration of the water treaty. We believe that under the treaty, Iran must get its due share of water from Helmand River. Other issues such as construction of dam on the river must be addressed through negotiations in an amicable manner. We are already living in a volatile region and escalation of tension between Afghanistan and Iran will only make the situation more precarious. Given challenges faced by Afghanistan both on internal and external fronts, it is also in the interest of Afghan authorities to act in a more responsible manner and pursue the course of diplomacy rather than confrontation.
