IFP - Tehran and Kabul are preparing a joint strategic plan aimed at restoring Hamun Lake, which lies in the Iran-Afghanistan border, an Iranian official said.





Head of the Wetlands Office of the Iranian Department of Environment, Arezoo Ashrafizadeh, said Iran and Afghanistan are working together on a joint strategic plan to restore Hamun Lake in Iran�s southeast.
In a Farsi Interview with ISNA, Ashrafizadeh said following the latest meetings between high-ranking Iranian and Afghan officials on Hamun Lake and based on the guidelines given by Iran�s Leader on the necessity to restore the lake, the two sides have decided to prepare a joint strategic plan on this issue.

�To this end, Iran and Afghanistan have established some joint committees to prepare the grounds for the two sides� cooperation in this field. So far, several committees (Water, Science, Training, Economy, Agriculture and Security) have been set up by the two sides,� she said.

Ashrafzadeh also said the Iranian Department of Environment has representatives in each committee. �So far, the committees have held several meetings inside Iran attended by representatives from Afghanistan,� she added.

The official went on saying restoration of Hamun Lake is not possible without close cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan.

�Fortunately, Afghanistan has announced its agreement to work with Iran to restore the lake,� she said, adding during the committees� meetings, representatives of Afghanistan have announced their readiness to work with the Iranian counterparts to work in this field.

�We hope the two sides go ahead with the joint project smoothly and the project ends up in the interest of the region,� she concluded.

Hamun Lake is fed by numerous seasonal water tributaries; the main tributary is the perennial Helmand River, which originates in Afghanistan�s Hindu Kush mountains.