Analysis of Factors Affecting the Environmental Perception of Afghan Agents in Hydropolitical Relations with Iran

Water, as the basis of creation and one of the most fundamental and irreplaceable human needs, is in critical condition in many parts of the world. Today, water has become a significant factor in international relations. In this context, Afghanistan holds an important position due to its control over key water resources (the Hirmand and Harirud Rivers) that flow into Iran. This research addresses the question: What factors influence the environmental perceptions of Afghan stakeholders regarding hydropolitical relations on the Hirmand and Harirud Rivers? Using an explanatory-analytical approach, the study draws on both library research and field methods, with particular attention to Afghan sources. The findings demonstrate that Afghan stakeholders' views on hydropolitical relations with Iran are shaped by four interconnected subsystems: natural-environmental, economic-technical, socio-cultural, and political-legal. Among these, the natural-environmental subsystem carries the greatest weight (۰.۴۳۸). Within each subsystem, specific factors were found to be most influential: drought (۰.۰۹۹) in the natural-environmental subsystem; agricultural development (۰.۰۷۹) in the economic-technical subsystem; the prestige of water resources among Afghans (۰.۱۹۷) in the socio-cultural subsystem; and the politicization of Afghanistan's hydropolitics (۰.۰۸۷) in the political-legal subsystem. These factors collectively shape Afghanistan's position in hydropolitical relations with Iran.

کلیدواژه ها:

Afghan Agents ، Environmental Perception ، Hydropolitical Relations ، Iran ، Afghanistan ، ادراک محیطی ، کارگزاران افغان ، مناسبات هیدروپلیتیک ، ایران و افغانستان