Iran warns Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers not to violate its water rights, over Helmand River

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s state media say the Iranian president has warned Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers not to violate water rights of the Iranian people. President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday said his government is determined to defend Iran’s water rights and warned the Taliban to take his words seriously, emphasizing the importance of Helmand River, which flows from Afghanistan into Iran. Drought has been a problem in Iran for some 30 years, but has worsened over the past decade. That’s according to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization. The Iran Meteorological Organization says that an estimated 97% of the country now faces some level of drought.