Tehran, Iran, Jan.3
Trend
Iran and Afghanistan are in a dispute over water in the Helmand River, and the issue is planned to be discussed at an upcoming meeting in Tehran.
Iran Energy Minister Reza Ardekanian noted the importance of Iran's Helmand River water rights.
"Iran would not give up on its water rights, therefore the issue is to be discussed with officials of Afghanistan,” he said, Trend reports citing ILNA.
The Helmand River (also spelled Hirmand in Persian) is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primary watershed for the Sistan Basin on the border with Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
The water treaty of 1973 had assigned Iran with 820 million cubic meters of Helmand River annual water share, however construction of dams by Afghanistan on the river has reduced the volume of water flow into Iran.
Ardekanian also noted that Iran looks to increase the production capacity of power plants in Sistan and Baluchestan Province to 2.685 megawatt in early 2021.
"The production capacity of power plants in this province is to double until 2021. The Energy Ministry has allocated more than 974 million euros for the project", he added.