Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on a phone conversation discussed Iran's water share from the Helmand river with Taliban acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Referring to the recent rains and water flowing in the Helmand River, Amir-Abdollahian expressed hope that there will be no artificial obstacles to providing Iran's share of water.
Amir-Abdollahian told Muttaqi that providing Iran's water share is an important indicator for measuring the commitments of the governing body of Afghanistan in fulfilling its international obligations towards Iran, adding that if the issue is not resolved quickly and seriously, it will have negative effects on other areas of cooperation between the two countries.
The top Iranian diplomat added that a high-ranking delegation from Iran's Ministry of Energy would pay a visit to Afghanistan to investigate and remove the existing obstacles and consult with Afghan authorities about Iran's water share.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian foreign minister noted that Iran supports the presence and activities of the country's private sector in Afghanistan and at the same time expects the Afghan authorities to support Iranian economic activists in Afghanistan due to the importance of the private sector activities in Afghanistan's economy.
Muttaqi, for his part, described the relations between the two countries as brotherly and on the path of helping the Afghan nation.
Welcoming the visit of the Iranian energy minister to Afghanistan, Muttaqi said that the Afghan side is committed to providing Iran's water share.
"When the water is available, we will flow it towards Iran," he added.
The Afghan side also called for developing cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan.
Iranian Minister of Energy Ali Akbar Mehrabian on Wednesday announced that he will pay a visit to Afghanistan to pursue Iran's share of water from the Helmand River.
Saying that Iran is concerned about the country's water share from the Helmand River, Mehrabian noted that it's necessary that he, himself enter the negotiations this time and hold serious negotiations with the Afghan governing body.
Iran's demands for this water right are based on the treaty reached in 1973 and detailed negotiations have been conducted at different levels in this regard, according to him.
MP/5550068
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