Major Gen. Safavi:

Iran seeks water diplomacy with neighboring countries

TEHRAN (defapress) – Leader’s top military aide said Tue. that Iran seeks to open talks on water management with Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey and other countries sharing water resources with the Islamic Republic.

News ID: 68895

Date: 27 February 2018 - 12:19

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, Leader’s top military aide, made the remark on Tuesday at a national conference on ‘water diplomacy and hydropolitic opportunities in West Asia’, stressing that shared water resources can either become a factor for further interaction and cooperation among countries or a serious challenge.

He added that Iran, sharing borders with 15 countries and water resources with 12 of them, seeks to establish constructive interactions with the region in order to promote water diplomacy.

According to him, Iran exports 1.2 billion cubic meters of water, over seven billion cubic meters of which are destined for Iraq.

“We need to open talks with Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey and other countries sharing water resources with us,” he stressed.

“Iran is one of the most unique countries in the world in terms of hydropolitic relations,” he said. “Central Asia could become the most controversial region in future, and Afghanistan could be the source of future water developments.”

He went on to add, “Iran is seeking in earnest to establish sustainable security in West Asia, and the results of the discussions in this conference will be presented to Foreign Ministry and other relevant bodies for making the necessary decisions.”