Iran pursues water diplomacy for Hirmand and Aras rivers

Iran is pursuing diplomatic solutions to address ongoing water scarcity and transboundary river disputes. Isa Bozorgzadeh, a spokesperson for the water industry, emphasized that Iran continues to demand its legal right to 820 million cubic meters of water annually from the Hirmand River, as stipulated by existing treaties. He noted that while cooperation from Afghanistan has increased compared to previous years, the full legal entitlement has not yet been met.

Regarding the Aras River basin, Iran has proposed the formation of a four-party consortium involving Iran, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to ensure more comprehensive management of the watershed.

Bozorgzadeh also highlighted critical challenges, including upstream dam construction on the Hari River, such as the Salma Dam, and changes to the Hirmand River's flow caused by the Kamal Khan Dam. These developments are viewed as red lines for Iran's downstream water security, particularly for the Sistan region and the Hamun wetlands. Additionally, officials warned of a 160 billion cubic meter imbalance in groundwater reserves and cautioned that climatic phenomena like El Niño should not lead to false optimism regarding the water crisis.