Iran reliable supplier of energy to Afghanistan: Deputy ambassador

Kabul, IRNA – Hassan Mortazavi, Iran's deputy ambassador to Kabul, has emphasized that the Islamic Republic is ready to export energy to Afghanistan and can play a key role as a reliable supplier and an important partner in this respect.

Mortazavi made the remarks in a meeting with the Acting Minister of Water and Energy of the caretaker government in Afghanistan Abdul Latif Mansoor in the capital Kabul on Saturday.

The deputy ambassador expressed hope for the finalization of the Kamal Khan Dam, adding that the water cooperation can pave the way for bringing Tehran and Kabul together so that the Muslim people of both countries can fully benefit from this divine blessing.

According to a bilateral agreement dubbed the Helmand River Treaty of 1973, approximately 850 million cubic meters of Helmand water have been designated and agreed upon as Iran's water share annually. However, as a result of drought and abnormal water years in recent years, the agreed water share has not been fulfilled, causing problems for the residents of Sistan and Baluchistan province in southeastern Iran.

The acting energy minister of Afghanistan, for his part, said that a significant amount of Iran's water share has been provided so far.

The two sides also discussed issues related to water cooperation, including the Iran-Afghanistan supply chain in the field of energy.