Water, a recurring nightmare in Iran's Sistan region

Water supplies to villages in the arid Sistan region in southeastern Iran have been cut off as water levels in Chah-Nimeh human wetland have dangerously receded, making life more difficult for the local population. With a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters, Chah-Nimeh is comprised of four lakes which receive surplus water from the Helmand (Hirmand) River. Its water reserves have rapidly depleted due to warm weather conditions and droughts, triggering a widespread wave of migration from the region. Water rights from the Helmand River has been at the heart of a festering dispute between Iran and Afghanistan for decades. Iran’s share of the water has steadily dwindled in recent years due to excessive irrigation and dam construction in Afghanistan, despite terms of a water-sharing treaty between the two neighboring countries that was signed in 1973. (IRNA photos published May 15, 2023/Mohammad Dehdast)