Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): Ambassador and Special Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, in an exclusive interview with Al-Alam News Network, considered the water issue to be one of the most important issues between Iran and Afghanistan and said: within the framework of the agreement of the year In 1351 AH of the Hirmand River, two countries have declared their adherence to Hirmand water by signing that treaty. In this treaty, it is stated that in a normal water year when the rains are good, the amount of water that should be given to Iran is 820 million cubic meters in the whole year, which has been implemented.

 

He added: During the two years that have passed since the new governance of Afghanistan, the new rulers have repeatedly declared their commitment to the implementation of the treaty in their negotiations and in official notes and media statements. The point that existed this year and was brought up many times by Kabul was that due to the lack of rainfall this year, the amount of rainfall was not enough to release Hirmand's water and give Iran its right to water.

 

Kazemi Qomi pointed out that according to this treaty, Iran can request a visit to Afghanistan's Dehrawid water measuring station for measurement. This station is upstream of Kajaki Dam and the majority of water that should be released within the framework of the treaty is from Kajaki Dam or the amount of water that is between the two basins of Kamal Khan Dam and Kajaki Dam. This year, Iran announced that what the Afghan side says about the low amount of rainfall and that the amount of water is such that it cannot be released, should be confirmed during the visit of experts to the Dehrawid measuring center, which was done late and with the agreement of the side. A few days ago, a delegation consisting of a specialized team from the Ministry of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Iran met with the officials of the Sistan and Baluchistan Governorate and some of Sistan's trustees and a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Afghan side.

 

He said: With the agreement of the Afghan side, the Iranian delegation made a field visit, they entered Afghanistan from the border of Sistan and Zabul and studied the rainfall and agriculture situation in Nimroz and Helmand provinces and observed that the agriculture situation was not good. The agriculture of some farms was also supplied with well water. It was important that within the framework of the agreement, the water measurement was done at the Dehradun measuring station. The amount of water entering the Kajaki Dam was not normal, which is a fact, of course, it must be said that this visit and measurement was done in Asad/August, the hottest month of the year, which naturally does not rain in the summer season.

 

The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul clarified that, in the framework of the Hirmand River, the level agreed upon by Iran is based on monthly measurements in all seasons of the year, but we measure in one season, August/Asad, when there is a shortage of water. We did it, which in itself was a good thing, and the Taliban authorities announced that it is the right of the Iranian people that if it is blue, we have a duty to give.

 

He added: "Maybe it was the first time since 1351 that a delegation of Iranian experts and trustees from Zabul border, Nimroz and Helmand provinces and visited the Dehrawd monitoring station. We agreed that these visits will be carried out according to the request of the Iranians, which we put in the order. Due to the lack of water and the conditions that existed, water did not come, but the Afghan side has announced their commitment and we hope that according to the agreement made in the rainy season, when the rainfall will increase, with the release that is made, water will reach Iran, of course, within the framework of the agreement, even if the amount If the rainfall is abnormal, the same amount should be released to enter Iran.

 

Kazemi Qomi further said: The distance between the Kajaki Dam and the border of Iran is 730 km. The area is very hot and there is a lot of water evaporation due to the sandy conditions along the route. This should happen within the framework of the treaty.

 

The ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul further stated about the border issues between Iran and Afghanistan: There is a long border of about 925 kilometers between the two countries. Our border with Afghanistan is not a normal border. According to the situation in Afghanistan, we are witnessing the illegal entry of Afghan immigrants into the country. One part is controlled and the other part has moral and human considerations.
 

He said: "Unfortunately, one of the drug smuggling and transit corridors is from our side of the border to Europe." Every year we sacrifice many martyrs to stop this scourge. In the field of narcotics today, opium is not the only problem, but the production of narcotics is an industry that is far more dangerous. Iran's border is emphasized by the narcotics mafia because it is the closest route to Europe. Human trafficking is another issue, so we don't have normal conditions at the border.

 

Kazemi Qomi said: The estimation of border conflicts between Iran and Afghanistan in the past two years indicates that considering that our border is a border with many issues, but the amount of conflicts is not much. I say this matter very seriously that today it is called the government of KabulHe has a will to create a conflict with us, I have not seen. But making a mistake on the wrong border is a problem that exists. That is one part of the conflicts, the conflicts related to smuggling and illegal entries that are dealt with. People you don't know are terrorists or someone who leaves because of economic and security conditions.

 

He added: "Recently, there was a conflict on the border in which one person was killed. When we find the root cause, the conflict was not between our border guards and the border guards of the Afghan side, but the conflict was caused by the issue of drugs." You compare these issues with the conflict of other borders, borders that are sometimes bombed. The trend of activity in our borders shows that we are moving towards economicization of borders. An incident happens on the border, but in the media and virtual space, the conflict and shooting are covered in such a way that the two countries are on the verge of a war and others are instigating, but we are controlling these issues and the concern about the border with We do not have all the conditions listed.

 

The Iranian president's special representative for Afghanistan continued to point out about America's actions in Afghanistan. There is no doubt that after leaving Afghanistan, the Americans started to strengthen terrorist and extremist groups like ISIS. Similar to what they did in Syria and Iraq, after their soldiers were forced to leave and were defeated, today, terrorist groups like ISIS are replacing the American army.

 

He said: One of America's goals in strengthening ISIS and terrorist groups, apart from insecurity inside Afghanistan, is to create problems for countries that are in conflict with Washington, including the Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore, it intends to use terrorists from the geography of Afghanistan against Iran or create problems in Central Asia for China and Russia, and this issue is still on the agenda of the Americans.

 

Kazemi Qomi added: "The Taliban is serious about the fight against ISIS, and one of the levers of pressure that the Americans have used to make the Taliban submit is the use of the tools of terrorist groups such as ISIS and Khorasani ISIS. They have even started using the military and security forces of the previous Afghan regime, so that they have been given special training so that they can be exploited at the right time."

 

He pointed out that the Americans definitely failed in Afghanistan, but they are pursuing their goals and have changed the means of achieving their goals. One of them is the issue of terrorism, although the Islamic Republic of Iran, the countries of the region, Central Asia, the Chinese, and the Taliban themselves follow this issue with sensitivity. 

 

He further stated that security, stability and construction in Afghanistan depend on stable political stability. But the type of government and the type of system in Afghanistan is related to the wishes of the Afghan people. We do not interfere in this issue. The Islamic Republic of Iran respects the wishes of the Afghan people.

 

Kazemi Qomi pointed out: Experience has shown that whenever a single current became dominant in Afghanistan, it could not survive and last. On the other hand, Afghanistan has been involved in bloody conflicts for about 45 years, and most of these conflicts were caused by the aggression of the invaders, including the Red Army, the communist camp, and the western liberalism camp, and their contribution to this nation was destruction, killing, displacement, and migration.

 

Kazemi Qomi stated that today Afghanistan is facing a crisis left over from several decades, and said: Therefore, a government that is only from one part of the society is not able to solve all the crises. Another experience is that in the 2001 summit in Bonn, the Americans did not see part of the reality of Afghanistan. The result was that a few years later, the conflicts started, the system was changed and a new system came, and that system also collapsed.

 

He said: Another point is that every development and event that happens in Afghanistan affects our national security and the security of our borders inside the country. For example, in the last two years, after the defeat, the Americans deliberately withdrew their soldiers and left. The number of immigrants who came to Iran and are coming officially and unofficially has quadrupled.

 

Iran's ambassador to Afghanistan stated that we are a country that is affected by the developments in Afghanistan. So, if the Islamic Republic of Iran says something out of benevolence, it is within the framework of the interests of the people and the political system of Afghanistan, and within the framework of regional security and its own national security, and it is not interference at all. We had a brotherly discussion with the Taliban and this is our discussion out of goodwill.

 

Kazemi Qomi continued: Shiites are Afghan citizens like all Afghan tribes. In these two years, in my opinion, Shiites are relatively satisfied with the issues of their lives, their lives, their property, and paying attention to religious rituals such as Muharram and mourning ceremonies. It was a fact that in the issue of mourning, the Kabul government helped in establishing security and it happened. But the point is that the presence of Shiites and other ethnic groups in the government is still not desirable for them. Despite the security risk that exists, the Taliban paid attention to the security of the ceremony, which was a positive thing, and we hope that conditions will be created in Afghanistan so that we can witness a strong government in which the representatives of all nations are present.