Iran, particularly Tehran, is grappling with an astonishing drought this autumn. Rainfall is at historic lows, and reservoirs are almost empty. Officials are urging everyone to conserve water as the situation worsens.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has raised alarms, warning that if rain doesn’t come soon, the city might face water rationing. He even mentioned the drastic possibility of evacuating Tehran if conditions don’t improve. This statement has sparked outrage among many, including former mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi, who called the idea impractical.
Currently, all eyes are on the forecast, which shows no rain in the next ten days. Daily life is already being affected. One resident shared that she’s considering buying water tankers for essential uses, while rapper Vafa Ahmadpoor posted a video on social media, showing his kitchen tap running dry after hours.
The situation with the dams is alarming. The Latian Dam, a primary water source for Tehran, is below 10% capacity. The nearby Karaj Dam is similarly depleted. Mohammad-Ali Moallem, its manager, revealed a staggering 92% decline in rainfall compared to the previous year. Most of the water left is unusable, termed “dead water.”
Officials are banking on late autumn rain to revive the situation. However, Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi cautioned about potential water cuts, saying they might even reduce flow to zero during some nights. To combat wastage, penalties for excessive water use are also on the table.
Tehran’s crisis isn’t just about drought. Water leaks from the city’s aging infrastructure compound the problem. The recent 12-day conflict with Israel has also had unintended consequences; airstrikes caused heavy flooding in the Tajrish neighborhood, affecting available water resources.
It’s not just Tehran that’s in trouble. Regions like West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan are facing similar issues. In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, water reserves are dwindling dangerously low, with reports indicating that some dams there are at just 3% capacity.
The water crisis in Iran has been decades in the making. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of these shortages in his Nowruz addresses since 2011. Despite these warnings, little has changed. Today, cities like Tehran, Karaj, and Mashhad—home to over 16 million people—are facing a grim reality where their water taps may soon run dry.
With a growing sense of urgency, experts emphasize the need for sustainable water management and infrastructure upgrades. They warn that without immediate action, this crisis may escalate into a larger humanitarian issue.
