Iraqi efforts to reach a new agreement on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Baghdad - INA

 The Ministry of Water Resources confirmed today, Friday, that Iraq is seeking to reach a new agreement on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

 "The Minister of Water Resources Mehdi Rashid, during his meeting with Turkish Ambassador Fateh Yildiz in Baghdad, focused on renegotiating with Ankara to reach an agreement that specifies the reasonable share of the water of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers," ministry spokesman Awni Diab said in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).  He pointed to "the presence of attempts with Iran in this regard."

 Dhiyab explained that "the Minister of Water Resources asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to approach the Iranian side to determine a meeting and start the process of negotiating water," noting that "Iraq has not yet reached understandings on vital issues, due to the impact of the rivers coming from the eastern side on the border cities, especially the governorate  Basra, which is affected by the high tides, in addition to the Maysan governorate, the Badra region, Jassan, Mandali and Khanaqin, and the direct impact on the water storage in the Derbandikhan and Hamrin dams, which depend on water imports from the Iranian side.