In the Troubled Waters of Iran-Afghan Relations

Abstract

The warming of our Earth and climate change result in water shortages and wars for the possession of water sources. While the 20th century’s wars were waged primarily for the possession of hydrocarbons, the conflicts of the 21st century are increasingly about water. In the arid zones of Central Asia, Inner Asia, and the wider Middle East, water and access to water sources have been of particular importance for thousands of years. The organization of irrigation required the centralization of power. For thousands of years, every despotic power in the region considered itself the main manager of irrigation works. Water was not only the basis of agricultural cultivation, but also the tool of political power, the cause of political tensions and armed conflicts or a tool of political and diplomatic manoeuvres, so its significance in terms of security policy is very great. This has always been the case for the long history of the region and the century-long history of Iran-Afghan relations. Thus despite the fact that Iran is Afghanistan’s second largest economic partner, and despite their common linguistic and cultural roots, the relationship between the two countries is not cloudless, but the second takeover of power by the Afghan Taliban on 15th August 2021 with its foreign relations based on pragmatism and nationalism, diplomacy without any diplomatic recognition has added a new colour to their contradictional relations.