The Afghan government cautioned Iran on Wednesday against making “irresponsible comments” following Tehran’s criticism of a dam being constructed upstream by Afghanistan.
Water rights have long been a contentious issue between the two nations, which share a border exceeding 900 kilometers.
Last Friday, Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, strongly protested the “disproportionate restriction of water entering Iran” due to the Pashdan Dam on the Harirud River, claiming the project may violate bilateral agreements.
In response, the newly appointed Iranian ambassador to Kabul, Alireza Bigdeli, met with Maulawi Abdul Kabir, the political deputy of Afghanistan’s prime minister’s office.
Kabir explained that while the water-sharing dispute had been resolved amicably, “irresponsible comments” could damage bilateral relations. He emphasized that there were “no issues in Afghanistan that could harm relations with Iran” and expressed a desire to enhance cooperation between the two nations.
The Afghan Taliban government announced last month that the Pashdan project, located in Herat province, is nearing completion, with water storage already underway. The dam is expected to store 54 million cubic meters of water, irrigate 13,000 hectares of agricultural land, and generate two megawatts of electricity.
The Harirud River, which passes along the borders of Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, has been a focal point of tension.
Previously, in May 2023, Iran issued a strong warning regarding another Afghan dam project on the Helmand River, claiming it infringed upon the water rights of residents in the drought-stricken Sistan-Baluchistan province of southeastern Iran.
