Iran Slams Turkey's Upstream Dam-building Activity

Iran has faced frequent droughts in recent years, caused in part by climate change, as well as dam-building in neighboring countries. (AP)
Iran has faced frequent droughts in recent years, caused in part by climate change, as well as dam-building in neighboring countries. (AP)
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Iran Slams Turkey's Upstream Dam-building Activity

Iran has faced frequent droughts in recent years, caused in part by climate change, as well as dam-building in neighboring countries. (AP)
Iran has faced frequent droughts in recent years, caused in part by climate change, as well as dam-building in neighboring countries. (AP)

Iran on Tuesday described as "unacceptable" upstream dam-building by neighboring Turkey on shared waterways, calling on its neighbor to cease such activity.

"Turkey's construction of dams on the border waters is unacceptable and we oppose it," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

He told parliament that the issue had been raised "at least three times these past months during two face-to-face meetings in New York and Tehran and a phone call with the Turkish foreign minister to express our disapproval.

"I asked him to pay particular attention to the construction of dams on the River Aras," he added.

Amir-Abdollahian noted that while "there is no bilateral agreement... on water cooperation, as neighbors, we asked the Turkish government four months ago to form a bilateral committee on water to respond to concerns in this domain".

His remarks come as Iran has faced frequent droughts in recent years, caused in part by climate change, as well as dam-building in neighboring countries.

But alongside Turkey, Iran itself has been responsible for building dams on shared rivers with its neighbor Iraq, threatening access to water there.

Turkey's dam on the Aras has nonetheless posed a particular threat to water availability in Iran.

Neither country is party to the 1997 United Nations Watercourses Convention that regulates the use of transnational water resources.



PKK Disarmament to Take a Few Months in Iraq, Türkiye Ruling Party Says

Türkiye's European Union Affairs Minister Omer Celik speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Turkish Embassy in London, Britain, September, 14, 2017. REUTERS/Will Russell/File photo
Türkiye's European Union Affairs Minister Omer Celik speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Turkish Embassy in London, Britain, September, 14, 2017. REUTERS/Will Russell/File photo
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PKK Disarmament to Take a Few Months in Iraq, Türkiye Ruling Party Says

Türkiye's European Union Affairs Minister Omer Celik speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Turkish Embassy in London, Britain, September, 14, 2017. REUTERS/Will Russell/File photo
Türkiye's European Union Affairs Minister Omer Celik speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Turkish Embassy in London, Britain, September, 14, 2017. REUTERS/Will Russell/File photo

The handover of weapons by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq, following its decision to disband, should be completed within a few months, a spokeperson for Türkiye's ruling AK Party said late on Wednesday.

Speaking to broadcaster NTV, Omer Celik said a confirmation mechanism, including officials from Turkish intelligence and the armed forces, will oversee the handover process.

"The disarmament ... process (in Iraq) needs to be completed within three to five months... If it exceeds this period, it will become vulnerable to provocations," Celik said on NTV, Reuters reported.

The PKK, which has been locked in a bloody conflict with the Turkish state for more than four decades, decided in May to disband and end its armed struggle.

PKK militants are set to begin handing over weapons in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah on Friday as part of the peace process with Türkiye.

Since the PKK launched its insurgency against Türkiye in 1984 - originally with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state - the conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, imposed a huge economic burden and fuelled social tensions.