Water Conflict in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Leaves Two Dead

A conflict between residents of two villages in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province over water resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to two others. The newspaper 'Shahrvand' reported on Monday (August 25) that the clashes occurred on August 9 between residents of the villages 'Arjank' and 'Katak'. Firooz Ganjii, the village head of 'Arjank', stated in an interview with the newspaper that the conflict began over disputes regarding livestock grazing. Ganjii mentioned, 'First, one of the residents of Arjank was shot dead by a hunter from Katak, and in retaliation, the residents of Arjank attacked the killer and killed him on the spot with cold weapons they had.' He added that two others were injured in the clashes and several individuals were arrested. According to 'Shahrvand', the entry of 150 sheep from 'Arjank' into the lands of 'Katak' and their use of water from a spring was the main cause of the conflict. Ghahreman Gholami, head of the village council of 'Arjank', confirmed reports about the clashes and stated that there has been a long-standing history of conflict between the residents of Katak and Arjank. Gholami confirmed Ganjii's account of the conflict's origin but added that the spring in question 'belongs to Arjank', and 'its runoff reaches there {to Katak}.' He stated that the residents of Katak claim aggressive ownership over this spring, but the court has granted ownership to Arjank based on documents. Gholami also mentioned that 'all disputes have intensified since the drought worsened,' and the judiciary must intervene to resolve these issues. Drought and water scarcity in Iran have led to the emergence of water tensions and conflicts in some regions, with the conflict on July 19 in 'Boldaji' in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari being one of the largest. During these clashes, which began due to protests against a water transfer project, at least one person lost their life, dozens were arrested, and some government facilities were damaged. The clashes began when a group of protesters attempted to prevent the implementation of part of the 'Kuh Sabz' tunnel project, which escalated into violence with police intervention. The 'Kuh Sabz' tunnel is intended to transfer water from 'Nagan' to the international wetland of Chaghakhor and from there to Boroujen, as well as supply part of the water needed for industries in eastern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and the cities of Gandoman and Boldaji. In recent years, Iran has faced drought, and reports indicate that 35 million people in Iranian cities are struggling with water stress.