Kurdistan Region protests Iran over closing Zab River
The water cut off from the Little Zab River has become a major issue between Iran and the Kurdistan Region. The Zab originates in Iran, flows through the region, and empties into the Tigris. Iran has not announced the reason for the water cut. Iraqi officials have also remained silent.
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq announced that Iran has cut off the flow of water from the Little Zab River since Eid al-Fitr this year (June 26) without prior notice or consultation with Iraqi and Kurdistan authorities. The Little Zab River is one of the most abundant permanent rivers in Iran and does not dry up throughout the year.
In recent years, as the drought in Lake Urmia intensified, the idea of transferring water from this river to Lake Urmia has sparked much debate in Iran.
According to international treaties, the transfer of water from transboundary rivers creates problems that require, first and foremost, consultation and joint solutions with neighboring countries to resolve.
Environmental activists say that the problems of border rivers are related to the Hur-al-Azim Wetland and the Hirmand River in addition to the Small Zab. Hur-al-Azim is the largest wetland in Khuzestan Province, located on the border between Iran and Iraq, with about one-third of this wetland in Iran and two-thirds in Iraq.
The Helmand River is also a border river that flows from Afghanistan to Iran. Iran has protested to Afghanistan regarding the exploitation of its rights.
An environmental expert in Tehran told DW, “The main debate in Iran, in addition to border rivers and wetlands, is over the weakness of water management.” According to this expert, the water issue should not be “used as an instrument” and interaction with neighbors on the joint exploitation of border rivers could benefit all interested countries.
Iraqi officials did not protest.
Iraqi officials have not protested the interruption of the Small Zab water. Iran has also remained silent on the matter. However, the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has strongly protested the interruption of the Small Zab water flow.
The regional authorities have said that the sudden water cut has had negative consequences for the 80,000 residents of the city of Kaladiza in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah province, damaging the fishing, agriculture and livestock sectors. According to the regional authorities, the water cut is politically motivated and is being carried out to “put pressure on and counter the holding of a referendum on the region’s independence.”
Minister of Agriculture of the Region: Cutting off Zab water is political
Abdul Sattar Majid, Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, said in an interview with the Anadolu Agency (July 1): "Iran is using this issue as a lever of pressure and is somehow demonstrating its influence in the region. We think this is an attack from Iran on our decision to hold the referendum."
Regional authorities also announced that they had discussed the issue with central Iraqi officials "to pressure Iran to abandon this decision."
The Minister of Agriculture of the region has also said that Iran wants to make the best use of the water of the Zab River, but this should not harm its neighbors.
Source: DW
