Dam levels are dropping, over-pumping is causing land subsidence, and the government is looking for solutions – from water imports to diversion projects and cloud seeding. * The crisis, which is a direct result of the global climate crisis with local exacerbations, has brought hundreds of thousands to the streets of cities in protest against the regime.
The climate crisis is starting to hit the weak. Iran is experiencing its biggest wave of protests since 2022, with widespread demonstrations and strikes breaking out in several cities across the country in recent days. What began as protests by merchants and shopkeepers in Tehran last weekend over the collapse of the Iranian rial quickly spread to other cities, as demonstrators joined calls against the water crisis, the energy crisis and severe economic hardship. In the early days of the protests, demonstrators attempted to storm a local government building in the southern Iranian city of Fasa, when security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
The protests, which included students, truck drivers, bakers, farmers and retirees, began in May 2025 and continued into July and August at the height of the heat wave, when residents in some neighborhoods were left without running water for three consecutive days. WikipediaAt the height of the crisis in July, residents of Sabzevar gathered outside the governor's office to protest power and water cuts, with one protester declaring: "In heat of over 40 degrees, we have no water or electricity. We have children, we have patients, and no one hears us."
The protests reflect the population's deeper frustration with the regime, with inflation in Iran soaring to 42.2% in December 2025, and the rial plummeting to a record low of 1.42 million to the dollar. WikipediaThe dire economic situation is just one of the challenges, as the country is also facing an acute energy crisis, while most of the dams that supply water to Tehran and many major cities remain almost empty. Al Jazeera.
Iran is facing one of the worst water crises in its modern history, with Iranian President Massoud Pazakhshan recently warning that Tehran may have to be evacuated if current water consumption patterns continue. In an unusual move, Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Alievdi announced in early December that the country was exploring the possibility of importing water from neighboring countries.
The critical situation
Water levels in Tehran's reservoirs and dams have dropped to dangerous levels of just 5-10% of capacity over the past six months. At the same time, 19 major dams nationwide have completely dried up. Water Year 2025 is recorded as the year with the lowest precipitation level since records began, with Iran experiencing a prolonged drought for the sixth year in a row.
The situation is particularly critical in Tehran, where 10 million residents consume water in quantities that exceed the current system’s capacity to supply. The city’s five main reservoirs have reached dangerously low levels, and groundwater levels have dropped dramatically. As a result, the ground in Tehran is sinking at a rate of more than 30 centimeters per year due to excessive groundwater pumping.
The causes of the crisis
The crisis stems from a combination of factors:
Climate and nature: Arid and semi-arid regions cover 85% of Iran's land area, and the country receives only 253 mm of precipitation per year – a quarter of the global average. Climate change has led to decreased precipitation, increased temperatures, and more frequent droughts. The climate crisis has cut into this bit as well.
Poor management: The "food independence" policy implemented after 1979 created an imbalance in water resources. During the 60s, 58 large dams were built, storing more than a quarter of Iran's available water resources. At the same time, the ancient qanat system, which had supplied water for centuries, was irreversibly damaged by overuse and neglect.
Huge waste: The agricultural sector consumes 90% of the country's water resources, but loses 60% of this amount due to inefficient irrigation systems and poor infrastructure. In many cities, water loss reaches 30-50% due to deteriorating pipe networks.
"The Water Bakery": Local media and environmental organizations report a network of politically connected agricultural lobbyists, dam contractors, and local influential people who benefit from unrestricted water use, over-pumping of groundwater, and subsidies for large-scale agriculture.
The proposed solutions
The Iranian government presents several strategies:
Water import: Iran plans to purchase surplus water from willing neighbors, with Afghanistan considered a prime candidate. Although most of its neighbors – Afghanistan, Iraq and the border areas of Pakistan – are also facing drought, Iran has three rivers flowing into it from Afghanistan. Armenia, which has more abundant water resources, is another option.
"Virtual Water"Importing water-intensive products to save local resources – a step that represents a significant change from the long-standing emphasis on agricultural independence.
Desalination and pipelines: A new desalination plant and water transfer system from the Persian Gulf will help reduce industrial water use in key areas, at an estimated cost of $540 million.
Wastewater treatment: Experts agree that treating wastewater for reuse in industry and agriculture is the most practical solution.
Agricultural improvement: Using biochar (biochar) from agricultural waste can improve water retention in the soil and reduce irrigation needs by 20-40%, according to scientific research.
infrastructure restoration: Replacing damaged networks that experience more than 50% water loss.
Evacuation of Tehran on the agenda
For the first time, the government is presenting the capital relocation as an official policy initiative. The president and many national leaders agree that Tehran faces an unacceptable combination of high population density, poor air quality, failing infrastructure and severe water shortages.
Experts warn that without immediate reforms, the crisis will only worsen in the coming years. Climatologist Nasser Karmi, an expert based in Norway, stated that Iran is not a country that can grow food for 100 million people: "With our fertile land and water, we can at most grow food for 40 to 50 million people, and we have to import the rest."
For many Iranians, the idea of buying water is shocking, challenging a national narrative built around independence and resilience. But experts say the change reflects a necessary response to the reality of water scarcity caused not only by a prolonged drought but also by decades of mismanagement and accelerating climate change.
For a comprehensive article on the subject (English)
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Of course there are solutions, but there is no desire on the part of governments that have been bribed by oil companies to look after their own interests and not the public's (under the false assumption that they will be immune to the effects of the climate crisis). Instead of investing in solving the climate crisis, the oil tycoons have invested in buying Western governments and turning them into dictatorships, because in democracies, public opinion that understands the disaster must be taken into account.
You can't attribute everything to the climate crisis. Every crisis has a solution, you just have to work on it and not ignore it or direct all resources to the wrong needs.
They invested in war instead of infrastructure for the public good. Why didn't they build desalination plants along with Israel's timetable?
When the government cares more about fighting with others than caring for its citizens – that's what you get. Coming soon to us.