TEHRAN- The spokesman of Iran’s water industry considered the unilateral exploitation of the Harirud river to be a violation of customary rights and said the effects of this unilateral action by the Afghan side will not only affect the supply of drinking water and health of several million people, but also lead to widespread damage to the downstream environment.

Issa Bozorgzadeh, said that the construction and impoundment of Pashdan dam in the Harirud border basin causes the reduction of the natural flow of the Harirud border river and the occurrence of social and environmental damages in the downstream areas, especially the problem of serious damage to the drinking water supply of the holy city of Mashhad.

Referring to the multi-dimensional economic, social and cultural ties of Mashhad and Herat, Bozorgzadeh said: “We believe that all the people who live in a watershed have the same destiny, and applying any strictness and pressure to a part of the people of the watershed will inevitably affect all the residents.”

The spokesman of the water industry further stated: “Iran has repeatedly expressed its official protest through diplomatic channels against the negative cross-border effects caused by the unilateral dam construction measures of the Afghan side in the Harirud basin and calls for joint cooperation to evaluate and reduce these effects and choose sustainable development instead of destructive development.”

He added: “We still believe that the one-sided and non-participatory exploitation of the water resources of the Harirud basin is not beneficial to any of the countries in the upstream and downstream.”

MA