Field study of the impact of Afghanistan's water policies on the Sistan region

Water scarcity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, is one of the problems of the current century. According to forecasts for 2030, about 47% of the world's population will live in areas with severe water shortages. On the other hand, rivers do not recognize political borders, and this fact has created a unique and complex situation for Iran and its border rivers, one of the most sensitive of which is in relation to the border waters of Iran and Afghanistan. For example, the dispute over the Helmand River, which originates in Afghanistan and flows into Iran's Hamoon Wetland, is 150 years old and has brought Iran and Afghanistan to the negotiating table many times, and various agreements have been concluded that have little effect on the issue. There has been no water crisis in Sistan, which stems from Afghanistan's water supply policies from the region. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to answer the main question: what crises and consequences have the water crisis in Sistan and Afghanistan's water policies had for Sistan and Baluchestan? To answer this question and to identify the situation of water resources in Sistan and Baluchestan, which is affected by these policies, it has been studied using the field method. The results show that Helmand is the only source of water supply in Sistan.