Alwaght- Since a long time, Afghanistan has had a special place in Iran's security environment, geopolitical factors of its national interests, and cultural sphere due to historical and cultural commonalities and over 900 kilometers of shared borders.
With the re-rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan over the past four years, the efforts to re-regulate bilateral relations based on common interests, implementation of agreements, and bridging the gaps on points of difference between the two neighbors have been one of the key agendas of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Continuing this approach and for shoring up bilateral relations, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi visited Kabul heading a delegation to talk to thd Taliban officials. The three-day visit discussed Iran's water share from Hirmand River, border issues, and legal and judicial cooperation.
On the first day of his visit, Gharibabadi met with Afghanistan’s judicial chief, Shamsuddin Shariati, to align their nations' legal and judicial systems. The talks yielded preliminary agreements on key issues, including the transfer of convicted citizens, the extradition of criminals, and addressing the consular rights of Iranian nationals imprisoned in Afghanistan.
This judicial agreements come just after Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Ismail Baghaee, highlighted the significant number of Afghan prisoners in Iranian jails and the substantial cost of their detention. Most of these individuals are incarcerated in various provinces for drug trafficking and distribution offenses.
With a large Afghan population in Iran, Tehran is pushing the interim Taliban government to finalize a mutual agreement. The deal would see Afghan prisoners repatriated to serve their sentences at home, while Iranian citizens held in Afghan prisons would be transferred to Iran. This bilateral cooperation aims to not only ease the financial and administrative burden on both nations but also to build mutual trust through new shared legal frameworks.
Iran's water share a key issue for Tehran
One of the key issues of the talks was Iran's share from Hirmand River. In his talks with Mujib Alrahman Alhondzadeh, Gharibabadi stressed on the customary and historical share of Iran from Hirmand River and protection of the Hamun international wetlands.
Hirmand River is the main origin for water supply to Iran's eastern provinces and Hamun Lake and plays a vital role in agriculture, environment, and good security of the region. Limiting or cutting off water from this river under some pretexts since Taliban takeover in August 2021 has caused serious economic and social challenges to Iran's eastern regions.
In every meeting and negotiation with Taliban officials, Tehran officials have consistently stressed the full implementation of the 1972 water treaty and the need to secure Iran's water share from the Hirmand River.
Any reduction or cutoff of the water flow from Afghanistan carries severe consequences for Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province. These include the desiccation of Hamun wetlands, the collapse of agriculture, intensified dust storms, forced migration, and a widespread livelihood crisis for the local population. Consequently, Iran views its water rights not merely as an environmental issue, but as a vital and strategic priority for bilateral relations.
To this end, numerous meetings have been held over the past years to find practical solutions that guarantee this water share. However, these talks have so far yielded no tangible results. A key round of discussions in February 2021 produced a temporary agreement based on the 1973 treaty, under which Afghanistan committed to providing Iran's water allocation. Despite this, disputes over upstream dam construction and reduced flow have continued to prevent water from reaching eastern Iran. In 2023, technical experts from both countries convened to work out solutions for managing shared water resources and ensuring the Hirmand's steady flow.
Iran has repeatedly highlighted its legal and historical rights and expects the Afghan side to honor its commitments. Gharibabadi recently reiterated that Iran's water share is a lawful and historic entitlement, calling on Kabul to take concrete measures to guarantee the flow. This firm stance underscores Tehran's determination to safeguard its eastern regions' water and environmental security, highlighting the role of active diplomacy in resolving a critical regional dispute.
Agreement on border issues
Another part of the talks focused on border issues and security of common boundaries. Gharibabadi and Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs of Afghanistan Nourullah Nouri described the common borders as "borders of brotherhood", and stressed on upgrading cooperation in this areas.
The two sides agreed to arrange regular meetings of senior delegations to survey and settle border issues and also resume renovation of border signs that was on hold for seven years. Beside precisely determining the borderlines, these measures have an important role in mitigating potential disputes and facilitating supervision of the border crossings.
Both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to combat the illegal transit of people and the smuggling of drugs and narcotics. In recent years, the influx of undocumented Afghan nationals has made border control increasingly difficult for Iran, creating a significant burden and underscoring the urgent need for bilateral cooperation to manage the frontier and regulate the movement of people and goods. Effective joint border management is seen as a key solution to curbing the crisis of illegal migration.
Beyond security, the stability of the border region is directly tied to economic and infrastructure development. Secure borders are a prerequisite for completing key road and rail links, revitalizing border markets, and facilitating cross-border trade, all of which would spur business growth and job creation in the provinces on both sides of the border.
Markets such as Dogharun in Taybad, Milak in Zabol, Gomshad in Hirmand, and Mahirud in Sarbisheh were highlighted as examples. With proper management and security, these trade centers have the potential to significantly boost economic cooperation and contribute to the overall stability of the shared border.
Furthermore success of recently launched Khaf-Herat railway, which marks a strategic step in transportation and trade between the two neighbors, depends on security of borders and trade routes. So, for the trade relations to keep going, the Afghan side is expected to take practical steps and make coordinations to manage the borders and facilitate transportation for the land trade to flow uninterrupted.
In general, Iran's share from Hirmand River is the central point of Tehran's diplomacy with Kabul and as long as the Taliban take no practical steps to ensure flow of water to Iran, other areas of bilateral cooperation from border security to business and judicial ties will be impacted by this issue— something highlighting the strategic significance of water as a vital source shaping Iran's policies in relation to Afghanistan.
