After the Taliban announced that the work of “Pashdan Dam” in Herat has been completed up to 80 percent and will soon be put into operation, it faced a wave of criticism in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Eisa Bozorgzadeh, the spokesperson of Iran’s water industry, said that the construction of this dam will severely affect the drinking water of several million Iranians living in the city of Mashhad and called for an adjustment in the Taliban’s decision. Meanwhile, Ismail Baqaei, the spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, has requested the cooperation of the Taliban government to remove the obstacles to the entry of water from Afghanistan to Iran. He reminded that Iran’s rights and bilateral treaties between the two countries should be considered in the exploitation of water resources.

The Taliban recently completed the construction of the “Pashdan Dam” in Herat, and earlier, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson of the Taliban government, published a video of the gathering of citizens around this dam on his account in the X. The spokesperson of Iran’s Foreign Ministry has protested the withdrawal of water from Herat’s “Pashdan Dam” and said “exploitation of water resources and water basins cannot be done without respecting Iran’s rights in accordance with bilateral treaties or customary principles and rules, as well as the important principle of good neighborliness as well as environmental considerations.”

Esmail Baqaei said that Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in contact with the ruling authorities in Afghanistan, expressed its “strong objection and concern to the disproportionate limitation of water entering Iran or diverting the natural course of rivers”.

The authorities of the Taliban government have not reacted on the water issue so far.

Earlier, Bozorgzadeh also called the water withdrawal from Herat’s Pashdan Dam “one-sided exploitation” of the Hariroud River, which, according to him, “caused a violation of customary rights.”

He added that “the effects of this unilateral action by the Afghan side will not only affect the supply of drinking water and health of several million people, but also lead to widespread damage to the downstream environment.”

Pashdan dam, which is located in Karkh district of Herat, is one of the main sources of irrigation for the green areas of Herat city and the green belt of this province, and its construction started in 2010.

It is said that Pashdan Dam has the capacity to irrigate about 18 thousand hectares of land and produce two megawatts of electricity.

In the past, Iran has expressed concern about the number of dams and efforts to build more dams in Afghanistan.

Hirmand River is a potential point of conflict between Iran and Afghanistan  

The Hirmand River on the border of Iran and Afghanistan is a potential point of conflict over scarce water resources in the region between these two countries.

Iran and Afghanistan have signed a treaty for the use of Hirmand water in 1972, based on which the annual amount of water that enters Iran from the Hirmand River is determined, but Iran is not aware of the amount of water that enters Iran and this country is not satisfied with the flow of the water.

The water treaty between Afghanistan and Iran was signed between Musa Shafiq and Amir Abbas Hoyda, the then prime ministers of the two countries.

The officials of the Taliban government have cited the lack of rainfall and the lack of a device to measure the amount of water entering Iran as the main reasons for not reaching the amount of water that Iran has received, and they have claimed that in some years, Iran has received water more than the amount of water that is stipulated in the treaty between the two countries.

Representative French Hill, a 68-year-old former banker from Arkansas, has made significant efforts to gain Silicon Valley’s support in the U.S. Congress, ultimately becoming the leader of the House Financial Services Committee.

In recent years, as a member of the House Financial Services Committee, Hill has emerged as a leading advocate for policies supporting emerging technology sectors, including cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, according to POLITICO.

This focus has garnered support from a new political power base in Silicon Valley, which has deep ties to incoming President Donald Trump. These connections helped Trump raise campaign donations and provided effective support, strengthening Hill’s position against three other top House Republicans.

POLITICO reports that Hill’s rise underscores the growing influence of Silicon Valley in Washington.

“He knows the community, he knows the industry, and with an incoming president, that’s where he wants to focus,” said Republican House of Representatives member Tom Emmer, a member of the Republican Party steering group that selects committee leaders and a prominent supporter of the crypto industry.

The Financial Services Committee, long known for its focus on Wall Street, where financiers seek to influence bank regulation, is increasingly turning its attention to financial technology issues. This shift has opened the door for emerging industries to wield new influence.

While the priorities of the legacy banking sector do not always align with those of the tech industry, Hill has facilitated this transition. He is now positioned to provide emerging tech sectors like crypto with a powerful ally to drive industry-friendly policies through Congress during a potential second Trump administration.

Silicon Valley luminaries such as billionaire Elon Musk and venture capitalist David Sacks, Trump’s choice as White House czar for crypto and artificial intelligence, are giving the venture capital and emerging tech sectors more influence than ever as they prepare to help shape policy in Trump’s new term.

Bobby Franklin, president and CEO of the National Venture Capital Association, the trade group representing venture capital firms, said: “This is a great choice for the industry. I expect French to further advance many of the things that are important to us.”

Hill’s Silicon Valley connections have helped him become one of the top fundraisers for House Republicans, a trait that has bolstered his race for leadership of the Financial Services Committee.

In the past year, he has received donations from several top executives at crypto and venture capital firms, including Trump-supporting billionaire Marc Andreessen, founder of venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz, and Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, the largest U.S. crypto exchange.

Hill’s fundraiser, held in October in the Silicon Valley suburb of Woodside, California, was attended by leading figures in the technology and venture capital business.

Three people familiar with the event said it was hosted by Fred Ehrsam and Matt Huang, founders of crypto investment firm Paradigm, as well as other tech CEOs, including Kevin Kelly of Sequoia Heritage, Neil Mehta of Greenoaks Capital, Katie Haun of Haun Ventures, Patrick Collison of Stripe, and Vlad Tenev of Robinhood.

Others who donated to Hill ahead of the event, which raised nearly half a million dollars for Hill and the House Republicans’ campaign arm, include Multicoin Capital co-founder Kyle Samani and Solana Labs co-founders Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal, according to FEC filings.

Venture capitalists like Franklin say it wasn’t just drafting crypto policy that helped Hill win them over. Franklin points to Hill’s experience building his own company (a public bank) as well as his support for the DEAL Act, which would “increase access to capital for early-stage startups.” Hill is also co-chair of the Congressional Entrepreneurship Caucus.

Fifteen people have been killed and over 35 others received injuries after a man apparently inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group drove into large crowds in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas who once served in Afghanistan.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden said that the FBI reported to him that Jabbar had posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by Islamic State, according to Reuters.

BBC reported that at 03:15 local time on New Year’s Day, a Ford pick-up truck rammed into crowds gathered on Bourbon Street in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter.

CCTV footage shows a white, Ford F-150 Lightning vehicle driving around a police car before hitting pedestrians.

What do we know about Jabbar?

The US officially announced that Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texas man accused of driving a pickup truck into a crowd at a New Year’s Eve party in New Orleans, served 13 years in the US Army and among other things, he was sent to Afghanistan.

He was killed in an armed conflict with the police after running over people who were celebrating the beginning of the new year.

Federal authorities and New Orleans police say Jabar did not act alone. They are now looking for his accomplices. The FBI said Jabbar had an IS flag on his car. The FBI is investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism.

While the investigation is ongoing, no information has yet been released to explain why Jabbar, an American citizen who grew up in Texas and served in the military, carried out the attack.

According to Reuters, Jabbar served as a human resources specialist and information technology specialist in the army from 2007 to 2015.

The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas

He then joined the Army Reserve as an IT specialist and continued to serve in the Army until 2020. At the end of his service, he had the rank of sergeant. Jabbar also served in Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.

A US Navy official also told Reuters that Jabbar enlisted in the Navy under a delayed entry program in August 2004 before serving in the military, but was discharged a month later.

Jabbar’s work records show that he has been working in odd jobs in recent years. In a promotional video for a real estate business posted on YouTube in 2020, a man of the same name said his time in the military taught him the importance of providing excellent service and taking everything seriously.

“I’ve learned these skills and applied them to my career as a realtor, and I feel like what really sets me apart from other realtors is my ability to be a tough negotiator,” said the man with the same name (Jabbar) in that video.

FBI starts investigation after IS flag found in Jabbar’s rented Ford Pickup truck

In the video, the man introduces himself as the manager of Blue Meadow Properties LLC and asks people to contact him. The Texas-based company’s license was revoked in 2022. Jabbar’s background check also shows that he was a real estate consultant for four years until February 2023.

The FBI believes that Jabbar rented a Ford pickup truck. After running over a large number of people who were celebrating, he opened fire on the police.

The presence of the IS flag on the truck has led to the start of an investigation into Jabbar’s possible connection with terrorist organizations. Police also found weapons and potential explosives in the French Quarter, where Jabbar drove into people.

“We don’t believe Jabar acted alone,” FBI Special Assistant Althea Duncan said. “We are following every lead.” Court records show that Jabbar divorced his wife in 2022 after five years of marriage. The couple had one child.

According to the Reuters report, Jabar does not appear to have had a violent criminal record prior to this attack. According to Texas records, Jabbar was convicted of theft in 2002 and arrested in 2005 for driving with an invalid license. The York Times quoted Jabbar’s brother as saying that he converted to Islam at a young age.