Given the scarcity of water resources, the way transboundary rivers are managed and utilized can either serve as a foundation for inter-state cooperation or become a source of heightened tensions and conflict. The countries of Central Asia, due to their significant water resource constraints, are highly sensitive to any changes or developments affecting their water systems. Accordingly, considering the geographical and climatic conditions of Afghanistan and Central Asia, the shared rivers between these countries hold strategic importance and lie at the heart of the region’s political, economic, and security interactions.In recent years, the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has reshaped the hydropolitical landscape of the region. The group’s new water-related policies—particularly projects such as the Qosh Tepa Canal—have sparked concerns among downstream states, especially Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.This study seeks to answer the central questions: How have the Taliban’s water policies impacted the hydropolitical balance in the region? What opportunities or threats do these developments pose for the future of regional water cooperation? The main hypothesis argues that the Taliban, leveraging Afghanistan’s geographical position and its non-compliance with binding international water regimes, is attempting to strengthen its strategic leverage through initiatives like the Qosh Tepa project.Employing hydropolitical theories, this research aims to explore the emerging dynamics of regional water interactions and to assess the prospects for either cooperation or conflict over water in Central Asia.