Ashura is Here; Representative of Sistan and Baluchestan: We Have No Water, People Are Crying for Thirst

A member of parliament states: "The cries of thirst from the people of Sistan and Baluchestan have become a habit for the officials." Moein al-Din Saidi compared the water scarcity in Sistan and Baluchestan to Ashura, saying: "For three months, the people of Kalani village in Sistan and Baluchestan have not received a drop of water, and a water tanker costs 1.2 million tomans." Another representative from Sistan and Baluchestan reported the ongoing water crisis and the difficulties people face in continuing their lives in this province, stating that people are at risk of "forced migration." Ismail Hossein-Zahi discussed the water situation in Sistan and Baluchestan, noting that both the provincial capital and the cities of Sistan and Khash are currently facing severe water stress, and stated that "the government must pursue the water rights of Helmand, and this water must flow into the country; otherwise, we will face numerous challenges in the next 2-3 months." Fada Hossein Maleki, a representative from Zahedan and a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, criticized the inaction of the Islamic Republic officials regarding the Taliban's disregard for Ibrahim Raisi's warnings about the Helmand water rights. This representative expressed that it was expected that "something would happen and action would be taken," mentioning that "two days ago" a meeting was held in the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission with the presence of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic, where representatives complained about why "some officials and even the Iranian ambassador in Afghanistan" were questioning Raisi's statements and "behaved in a way that suggested that what the Taliban says is correct." According to the Zahedan representative, Sistan and Baluchestan is undergoing a "gradual death," with its villages "emptying one after another," and the first step to resolving the issues is securing water rights. Several water and environmental experts, in discussions with Voice of America, have warned about the continuing critical water situation in Iran and the wrong policies in this area, stating that if these policies continue, Iran will become a "burnt land."