Iranian President: If drought continues, Tehran may be evacuated

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a warning that if rain does not fall soon, Tehran, the country’s capital, may experience a historic water crisis.

During a visit to the western city of Sanandaj, President Pezeshkian stated that the primary reservoir that supplies Tehran with water has only two weeks remaining, and the government is finding it difficult to address economic, environmental, and social issues all at once.

Pezeshkian warned that water delivery in Tehran will be limited next month if the dry spell persists, describing the drought-caused water deficit as one of Iran’s most significant ecological problems. “We will run out of water if this drought continues, and it may become necessary to evacuate the city,” he cautioned.

The president called the current state of affairs “deeply alarming” and underlined the urgent need for improved management and conservation of the nation’s energy and water resources.

Lar, Mamloo, Amir Kabir, Taleghan, and Latian are the five main dams that produce Tehran’s water supply; Amir Kabir is the biggest. But in July, the Tehran Water Authority had already expressed alarm, pointing out that water supplies had dropped to their lowest point in a century.

Behzad Parsa, the head of the authority, reaffirmed last week that the city’s needs could only be met for two more weeks if the dry weather persists. As the crisis worsens, officials have asked people to conserve water.