Baghdad, Tehran Hold Talks to Address Water Crisis

Iraq's Water Resources Minister Aoun Diyab Abdullah and Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi met in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss the worsening drought conditions, according to the Iraqi ministry.

According to a statement, the meeting addressed challenges tied to shared rivers and cross-border waterways, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The ministry added that the Iranian side proposed “engaging specialized companies to work on joint projects in desalination, treated wastewater reuse, and irrigation development.”

Efforts to secure reliable water flows from Turkiye and Iran have repeatedly stalled despite decades of treaties and frameworks, as upstream dam projects and non-binding agreements continue to undermine Baghdad’s ability to protect its share of the Tigris, Euphrates, and border waterways.