Years of drought and declining water resources in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province have emerged as one of the main obstacles to the region’s development, affecting not only agriculture and livelihoods but also urban expansion and the future of cities such as Zahedan. Against this backdrop, the dispute between Iran and Afghanistan over water resources and the status of Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River have made the search for sustainable solutions to the province’s water needs increasingly important. Farshid Ilaty, a housing and urban development expert, says the province’s water crisis, particularly the issue of Helmand water rights, must be addressed at the national level alongside economic, agricultural, urban development and Iran-Afghanistan relations, arguing that the issue is not merely technical but also has political and security dimensions.
Farshid Ilaty, a housing and urban development expert, told IRAF that the development of Zahedan should not be assessed through a narrow, sector-specific lens, particularly amid claims that the city has reached the limits of its capacity for expansion.
He stressed the need for a comprehensive approach in which water, energy, infrastructure and other urban requirements are considered simultaneously. According to Ilaty, addressing the water crisis in Sistan and Baluchestan requires not only engagement with Afghanistan but also the mobilization of domestic resources and capacities within Iran and the province itself.
A Comprehensive Approach to Zahedan’s Urban Development
Discussing Zahedan’s urban expansion and views that the city lacks the capacity for further development, Ilaty said:
“Sometimes in the management of the country, there are sectoral views toward issues; meaning that each institution or sector tries to examine issues from the perspective of its own expertise and the resources at its disposal, while for making decisions about urban development, all factors including water, infrastructure, energy and other resources needed by the city must be seen simultaneously and plans must be made for them.”
He said the expansion of provincial capitals and major cities in recent decades has encouraged populations from smaller cities and other parts of the provinces to move toward larger urban centers. As a result, he argued, population growth and migration to cities such as Zahedan are not unique to the city but are part of a broader national trend.
Such migration, he added, can create opportunities for development while simultaneously placing additional pressure on water supplies and urban infrastructure.
Sistan and Baluchestan’s Development Must Be Viewed on a Broader Scale
Ilaty said Sistan and Baluchestan should be treated as an integrated development region rather than through isolated projects or individual sectors.
Despite its mineral resources, agricultural potential and strategic geographic position, the province remains among Iran’s less-developed regions, with several of its cities facing significant structural challenges.
Referring to Sistan’s historical importance, Ilaty said:
“Sistan and Baluchestan, in periods of history, has been known as Iran’s granary, and this shows that the region has had considerable capacity in the agricultural sector. Therefore, water and agriculture are not merely new issues for this province, but are part of the region’s long-standing capacity and tradition, which have been damaged under the existing conditions, particularly the decline in water resources.”
He argued that the province’s current water crisis should therefore be viewed not simply as a contemporary environmental problem but also as a major obstacle to restoring its traditional economic potential.
Helmand Water Rights Must Be a National Priority
Ilaty emphasized the importance of Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River and called for the issue to be pursued seriously at both the national and provincial levels.
“The issue of water rights and the water of the Helmand must be seriously placed on the national and provincial agenda. The province’s proximity to Afghanistan and Pakistan and the reduction of water resources needed by the agricultural sector have affected the economic situation and even the urban development process of the region.”
Referring to the Kamal Khan Dam, he said:
“A considerable part of the water in the relevant watershed is diverted and its entry toward Iran is prevented.”
Ilaty added:
“The issue of water between Iran and Afghanistan today is no longer merely a technical issue and has acquired political and security dimensions; therefore, it requires serious interventions and follow-ups at the political level.”
He said Iran’s substantial trade relations with Afghanistan could provide an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation and good-neighborly relations.
He also suggested expanding economic and commercial ties between border communities, particularly between Sistan and Baluchestan and southwestern Afghanistan, arguing that such links could help create greater space for addressing broader bilateral issues, including water disputes.
Domestic Capacity Can Help Address the Water Crisis
Ilaty said efforts over the past years to resolve the province’s water problems had not produced the desired results and argued that domestic solutions should be pursued alongside engagement with Afghanistan.
He said one option previously considered was the use of groundwater resources.
“Studies and explorations carried out have shown that groundwater resources exist in the northern part of the province, but despite the encouraging results, this issue was not subsequently pursued operationally.”
He added:
“Alongside that, the issue of water transfer has also been raised, which can be used particularly for industrial consumption and parts of semi-industrial activities in the province.”
Ilaty also pointed to desalination as another potential source of water for the province.
“The use of desalination plants and supplying water through desalination plants that have been designed in the southern part of the province, including Chabahar and coastal areas, can also supply part of the province’s water needs.”
He concluded that a combination of solutions should be pursued simultaneously to reduce the province’s dependence on any single source or pathway for water supply.
Bringing Sistan and Baluchestan Back Into the Development Cycle
In his overall assessment, Ilaty said resolving Sistan and Baluchestan’s problems would require both greater engagement with neighboring countries and the use of domestic resources to expand the province’s water capacity.
He said:
“For solving the problems of Sistan and Baluchestan, we must both seek interaction with neighboring countries and resolve common issues, and also use the domestic capacities of the province and the country to develop water resources. Most importantly, serious determination to comprehensively solve the problems of the province and relations between Iran and Afghanistan is needed, with the water issue being one of its most important axes.”
Ilaty also pointed to the province’s long history of underdevelopment:
“Since the beginning of the Revolution, this province has always been known as one of the deprived regions of the country, and the continuation of this situation despite the province’s extensive capacities is not worthy of the country.”
He acknowledged the complex challenges posed by the province’s climate, security conditions and proximity to Pakistan, while emphasizing its significant development potential.
Ilaty said:
“Studies before and after the Revolution have shown that the Makran coasts, the south of the province and Chabahar as Iran’s oceanic port have enormous capacity for the development of the country.”
He added:
“Therefore, by solving the province’s problems, first of all the issue of water and the revival of agriculture should be prioritized, businesses related to this sector should be revitalized, and the conditions should be provided for bringing Sistan and Baluchestan back into the country’s development cycle; within this framework, urban development can also be pursued sustainably and in proportion to the capacities of the region.”
Sistan and Baluchestan’s geographic position, borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, access to the Sea of Oman and extensive mineral, agricultural, commercial and port capacities make it one of Iran’s strategically important provinces. Yet persistent water shortages, recurring droughts, infrastructure gaps and long-standing development disparities have continued to limit the region’s ability to capitalize on those advantages.
The dispute over Helmand water rights and the search for a sustainable water supply extend beyond agriculture and livelihoods, with direct implications for urban development, migration and economic activity across the province. Chabahar and the Makran coast, meanwhile, represent major geoeconomic assets for Iran and could play a significant role in regional development and connecting the country to regional markets if key infrastructure and water constraints are addressed.
