The Status of Hirmand in the Political and Economic Geography of Sistan in Pahlavi Era

Hirmand River has played a crucial role in the economic and social life of Siestan and is one of the prominent reasons for the historical continuity of this region. In fact, this border river gained its importance upon the separation of the eastern part of Iran, formation of Afghanistan and role-playing of the Englishmen in the eastern borders. In the meanwhile, the issue of Hirmand water has played a significant role in the relationships of the two countries during various eras. In this vein, the present paper, through adopting a descriptive method and a historical analysis of available sources, aims to study the status of the boarder river of Hirmand in the political and economic geography of Siestan during the Pahlavi era. The paper has mainly been organized based on elucidation in historical research, with emphasis on the effect of the geographical factor of “water” on political and economic changes of the eastern Iran, and through relying on documents and other archival sources. The findings of the study reveal that Hirmand River had a direct impact on the life or death of Siestan in a way that upon its water reduction, the economic significance of Siestan decreased—as the river provided the water for farming and fishing in the region.