Part 11/15:
Internationally, Iran’s water woes are exploited by regional rivals. The Taliban’s construction of the Pashdan Dam on the Hari River—an important river flowing from Afghanistan into Iran—has drastically reduced water flow into Iran’s northeast, threatening Mashad’s water supply and devastating the Hamoon wetlands. This legal and environmental crisis has nearly caused military clashes and escalated tensions with Afghanistan, which unilaterally diverts water in defiance of treaties.