Turkey-Afghanistan Dam Collaboration: A Grave Threat to Iran’s Water and Environment
Turkey’s partnership with the Taliban to complete the Bakhshabad Dam on the Farah River in Afghanistan poses a critical threat to Iran’s water resources and the fragile ecosystem of the Sistan region. Experts warn of severe consequences, including the complete desiccation of Lake Hamun, worsening dust storms, and a dramatic impact on the livelihoods in southeastern Iran.
The Bakhshabad Dam project, funded by Turkey, Gulf Arab countries, and possibly facilitated by international organizations, is nearing completion. This dam, with a capacity of 1.3 billion cubic meters, will control the flow of the Farah River, a critical tributary feeding Lake Hamun. As Lake Hamun loses its primary water source, its surrounding wetlands, which mitigate dust storms and support local agriculture, are at risk of becoming dry and uninhabitable.
The dam’s implications extend beyond environmental concerns. It intensifies dust storms that affect not only Iran but also neighboring Afghanistan and Pakistan. The direction of prevailing winds will carry saline dust across Iranian territories, decimating agricultural lands and displacing residents.
Currently, Iran lacks a formal agreement with Afghanistan regarding the Farah River’s water rights, further complicating the issue. Despite existing treaties on the Helmand River, the Iranian government has struggled to enforce these agreements effectively, let alone address new disputes like those surrounding the Bakhshabad Dam.
Environmentalists and policymakers urge Iran to leverage international legal frameworks, such as the United Nations resolutions recognizing a healthy environment as a human right, to contest these developments. Without decisive diplomatic and legal action, the Sistan region faces environmental catastrophe and escalating tensions with neighboring countries.
