Is the Drought a Climate Crisis or a Message from God? Iranians Seek Answers Amidst Water Shortages

Water scarcity has become a pressing issue in Iran, capturing the nation’s attention. In northern Tehran, imams are fervently praying for rain while meteorologists anxiously await any signs of relief. With over 50 days into the rainy season and more than 20 provinces still dry, the situation is alarming. The number of dams holding less than 5% of their capacity has soared from eight to 32, indicating a widespread crisis.

Despite some localized rainfall reports, authorities are resorting to cloud seeding, a method involving the release of substances like silver iodide into the atmosphere to encourage precipitation. This year in Tehran, only 1mm of rain has fallen—a stark contrast to the average annual rainfall of 350mm from 1991 to 2000.

The drought has compounded the struggles of ordinary Iranians, who are grappling with increasing bottled water prices and purchase limits. Nationwide, snow cover has plummeted by nearly 99% compared to last year, and daily temperatures remain unseasonably warm at around 20°C.

In towns and villages, organized prayer gatherings for rain have become frequent. These prayers echo historical instances of drought-curing miracles, like the mass prayers in Qom during World War II. Some religious leaders attribute the drought to moral failings, linking it to societal behaviors.

Interestingly, political discourse adds another layer to this crisis, with some officials controversially suggesting that disobedience to cultural norms could be causing the drought. Critics have pointed to the irony of this reasoning, asking why more liberal societies often enjoy greater rainfall.

Kaveh Madani, an environmental expert and former deputy head of the Environmental Protection Agency in Iran, offers a different viewpoint. He recalls warnings about the looming water crisis that went unheeded. Many Iranians are now bewildered, asking whether technological fixes like cloud fertilization could be viable solutions.

In response to the crisis, Tehran’s residents have begun to cut water use by about 10% over the past seven months, yet experts insist a further reduction of 20% is necessary. Despite this effort, public campaigns to raise awareness do not seem robust enough for the challenge at hand.

Water rationing has quietly begun, with reduced pressure affecting households after midnight. Yet, the mayor insists on avoiding cutoffs. Alarmingly, some officials, including Masoud Pezeshkian, have suggested that parts of Tehran may need to be evacuated if conditions worsen, a claim that has met skepticism from other government quarters.

Dariush Mokhtari, a water management expert, acknowledges the potential need for evacuation if certain areas run dry. This bleak prospect raises urgent questions about the feasibility of relocating millions.

While Pezeshkian’s warnings may sound dire, they have spurred dialogue about the reality of the situation. Mohammad Darwish, an environmentalist, believes an awareness movement is forming, focusing on sustainable solutions to adapt to the ongoing climate challenges.

As water scarcity continues to threaten Iran, the need for urgent action and collective responsibility has never been clearer. The nation finds itself at a critical juncture; will it rise to meet the challenge or be paralyzed by inaction?



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