or Helmund River ancient Etymander
River, southwestern Afghanistan and eastern Iran.
Rising in east-central Afghanistan, it flows southwest across more than half the country before flowing north for a short distance through Iran and emptying into the Helmand ( Sīstān ) swamps on the border of Afghanistan and Iran. At 870 mi (1,400 km) long, it is one of Afghanistan's most important rivers and has been extensively developed for irrigation. A long-standing dispute between Afghanistan and Iran has centred on Iran's claim to a portion of the Helmand's waters.