System dynamic approach to hydro-politics in Hirmand transboundary river basin from sustainability perspective

Water resources play a pivotal role in the development of a region. The study of the hydro-politics of a water resource system clearly is one of the most challenging issues, which a researcher might be faced in his/her academic and technical career due to the complexity and multi-dimensionality of the problem. To tackle the main barriers of studying complex systems, this paper adopts system dynamic approach for a complex transboundary river system shared between Iran and Afghanistan, Hirmand. Various exogenous variables affected and being affected by each other such as soil, water resources, climatic factors, politics, employment, and population throughout the region in general and particularly in the city of Zabol has been investigated. Drawing on system thinking paradigm, the most dominant 'systemic archetypes' have been recognised. According to the results of the study, development planning across the region can no longer be relied on the water.