Iran is confronting its most severe water crisis in decades, with President Masoud Pezeshkian warning that Tehran, home to more than 10 million people, could become uninhabitable if the drought gripping the country persists beyond December.
“If rainfall does not arrive by December, we must start rationing water in Tehran,” Pezeshkian said on November 6. “Even if we do ration and it still does not rain, then we will have no water at all. Citizens will have to evacuate Tehran.”
The warning comes as Iran reels from the effects of a scorching summer and years of water mismanagement that have left reservoirs critically low.
Experts and officials blame a combination of climate change, poor planning, illegal well drilling, and inefficient agricultural practices for draining vital reserves.
Tehran depends entirely on five reservoirs fed by rivers outside the city, but inflows have sharply declined. Behzad Parsa, head of Tehran’s Regional Water Company, said last week that water levels had dropped 43% compared to last year, with the Amir Kabir Dam holding just 14 million cubic meters, about 8% of capacity.
Collectively, the capital’s reservoirs are at roughly half capacity, containing around 250 million cubic meters, enough for only two weeks at current consumption rates.
Across the country, 19 major dams, nearly 10% of Iran’s total, have effectively run dry.
In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, water reserves have fallen below 3%. “The pressure is so low that literally we do not have water during the day,” said Reza, a carpet cleaner in Mashhad. “It’s completely because of mismanagement.”
While Iran’s National Water and Wastewater Company has denied formal rationing in Tehran, it confirmed nightly water pressure reductions that can drop to zero in some districts.
Residents like Mahnaz, a mother of two in eastern Tehran, say the shortages are already disrupting daily life. “The taps went dry around 10 p.m., and water didn’t come back until 6 a.m.,” she said.
Authorities have urged citizens to install storage tanks and pumps, while warning against over-consumption. Water officials said 70% of Tehran residents exceed the standard 130 liters per day, worsening the crisis.
Public discontent is rising, though protests have not yet broken out. Iran’s rulers remain wary after water shortages in Khuzestan Province in 2021 triggered violent demonstrations.
Many Iranians blame years of government mismanagement for recurring crises in water, electricity, and gas. “It’s one hardship after another,” said Shahla, a 41-year-old schoolteacher in central Tehran. “One day there’s no water, the next there’s no electricity. This is because of poor management.”
Economic hardship from sanctions tied to Iran’s nuclear program has compounded public frustration, raising fears that continued shortages could fuel unrest.
Experts say climate change is amplifying Iran’s long-term environmental challenges. Record temperatures this year, exceeding 50°C (122°F) in some regions, accelerated evaporation and groundwater depletion, while emergency holidays in July and August failed to slow consumption.
Criticism has grown over what many see as government inaction and the appointment of unqualified officials in environmental agencies. The administration has rejected such accusations, attributing the crisis to “past policy failures, overuse, and global warming.”
Meanwhile, calls for divine help have resurfaced. “In the past, people would go to the desert to pray for rain,” said Mehdi Chamran, head of Tehran’s City Council. “Perhaps we should not neglect that tradition.”
As authorities scramble to transfer water from other reservoirs and further cut pressure across Tehran, experts warn that without immediate rainfall or long-term reforms, Iran’s capital could face a humanitarian and economic disaster, one that threatens not just taps, but the stability of the state itself.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
