The effect of the Taliban gaining power in Afghanistan on water and border conflicts with the Islamic Republic of Iran

Sayad Rashvanlou, Reza; Mirkoshesh, Amirhoshang; Mohammadzadeh, Ali

doi:10.30465/cps.2024.49802.3436

The effect of the Taliban gaining power in Afghanistan on water and border conflicts with the Islamic Republic of Iran

Document Type : .

Authors

Reza Sayad Rashvanlou ¹

Amirhoshang Mirkoshesh ²

Ali Mohammadzadeh ³

¹ PhD student, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood Branch, Shahrood, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood Branch, Shahrood, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood Branch, Shahrood, Iran.

10.30465/cps.2024.49802.3436

Abstract

This research examines the impact of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan on water and border disputes with the Islamic Republic of Iran from the perspective of securitization theory. Given the sensitive status of cross-border waters, particularly the Helmand River, and the importance of national security for both countries, this study aims to demonstrate how the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan has turned water resource policies into a security issue for Iran. The primary objective of this research is to analyze how the Islamic Republic of Iran has securitized water and border issues in response to Afghanistan's developments following the Taliban’s return to power. Using a descriptive-analytical research method and leveraging library sources, the study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the securitization process of these disputes. The findings indicate that Iran’s securitization discourses perceive the Taliban as a threat to water and border resources, elevating these disputes from technical and political levels to security concerns. The results also suggest that this securitization process may lead to urgent and exceptional decisions in Iran’s foreign and regional policies, which could have long-term impacts on Iran-Afghanistan relations.

Keywords

Taliban

Iran

conflicts

blue

discourse confrontation

Subjects