Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Mohammad saleh Anisi ¹
• Mahnaz Rashidi ²
• Mahdi Piri ³

¹ Ph.D Student, Public International Law, Islamic Azad University of Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Public Law, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Introduction

Today, given the fundamental role of water in human life, water crises are among the most significant transboundary challenges facing humanity. Iran, due to its arid and semi-arid geography, faces particularly difficult water conditions. In some regions, the country relies on transboundary rivers to meet its water needs—often from a downstream position. One of the most important of these is the Hirmand (Helmand) River Basin. A treaty has been established between Iran and Afghanistan regarding Iran’s irrigation rights to the Hirmand River. However, despite the treaty’s validity, Afghanistan has failed to deliver Iran’s annual water allocation of 820 million cubic meters, thereby violating the agreement. The water crisis in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province has now reached a critical level, threatening the lives of its residents. As such, the issue has significant human rights implications. As the artery of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, the Hirmand River plays a vital role in supporting both the livelihoods and the health of local residents, making it essential to explore and highlight the human rights dimensions of this crisis.

Literature Review

The utilization of international watercourses is governed by a distinct international legal regime. While there is extensive research on this subject, the human rights implications—particularly in Iran—have not received adequate attention. Referring to all relevant sources, this study aimed to fill that gap by examining the Hirmand Basin as a case study. The research is considered innovative in its approach, as it explored the overlap between two key international legal regimes. It identified existing gaps and proposed legal solutions to ensure that human rights are respected in the equitable use of international watercourses, with a particular focus on the Hirmand Basin.

Materials and Methods

The present study built its arguments by comparing and applying general legal rulings to specific events in the Hirmand Basin. Key methods used to provide legal solutions include historical analogy, priority, and similarity. Moreover, the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice serves as one of the primary foundations for the legal reasoning presented in this research.
 

Results and Discussion

First, the study focused on the human rights obligations of governments in the management of international watercourses. It explored various dimensions of the right to access water, providing a substantive analysis of its minimum and maximum thresholds as defined in human rights documents. Key issues discussed include the multifaceted, fundamental nature of this right as well as its transboundary implications. Drawing on international legal sources, the research examined various dimensions and relevant rulings. Then, the method of analogy was used to apply and adapt these rulings to contemporary real-world events. Second, the research examined the nature of issues surrounding the Hirmand Basin. Given the predominantly rural context of the region, the Hirmand water plays a crucial role in the development and livelihood of the local residents. Furthermore, the Hirmand River Water Treaty, a binding international legal agreement between Iran and Afghanistan, underscores the importance of upholding the right to access water. To support the main argument, the analysis relied on relevant international jurisprudence and numerous international opinions to prove the main hypothesis of the study. It appears that the principle of due diligence—recognized as the point of overlap between procedural and substantive rights in international basins—has not been adequately observed in the Hirmand Basin. Moreover, the right to access water in this basin remains questionable. The research identified existing legal gaps by analyzing various aspects of the issue and substantiating the proposed hypotheses. In this context, several important legal solutions are presented, the most significant of which are rooted in human rights literature—particularly in relation to different dimensions of the principle of due diligence. Furthermore, the study highlighted the relevance of human rights monitoring mechanisms under the United Nations Charter, considering them as key legal instruments for safeguarding water rights in the Hirmand Basin.

Conclusion

Despite the extensive research in this field, it appears that insufficient attention has been paid to the importance and scope of human rights obligations. In this context, international jurisprudence can be leveraged to develop this discussion and place greater emphasis on the dignity of residents in basins such as the Hirmand. The application of the due diligence principle, along with international human rights monitoring mechanisms, can help ensure the fulfillment of states human rights obligations in transboundary basins like the Hirmand.

Keywords

• Human Rights
• Right to Health
• International Watercourses
• Hirmand
• Right to Access Water

Main Subjects

• International Law