TEHRAN — Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the Islamic Republic will resort to pressure if necessary against the ruling Taliban establishment in Afghanistan should it fail to provide Iran with its share of a lifeline border water supply, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.
Amir-Abdollahian cited Afghanistan's commitments under a 1973 agreement, which obligates Kabul to secure an annual 820 million cubic meters of water from the shared Helmand River.
Iran has repeatedly complained that it is receiving only 4% of the agreed amount, which it expects to flow in the transboundary Hamoun basin.
Taliban authorities, however, have stated that the water supply behind the key Kajaki dam is fast diminishing, an argument upon which Amir-Abdollahian appeared to be casting doubt.
