Iran’s president warns Tehran could face evacuation amid severe water shortages

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that the capital, Tehran, could face an unprecedented water crisis that may even force authorities to evacuate the city if rainfall does not improve soon.

Speaking during a visit to Sanandaj in western Iran on November 6, Pezeshkian said his government was grappling with overlapping economic, environmental, and social challenges that threaten national stability, Caliber.Az reports per Anadolu. 

“High prices and inflation are the fault of both the parliament and the government. There are efforts underway, but limited financial resources mean projects remain unfinished,” Pezeshkian said, according to Daily Itimad. He attributed Iran’s economic difficulties to a combination of domestic policy failures and international sanctions.

Turning to the worsening drought and water shortages, the president warned that the country faces serious environmental challenges, including dwindling rainfall and shrinking water reserves.

“If it doesn’t rain, we will have to start restricting water supplies in Tehran next month. If the drought continues, we will run out of water and be forced to evacuate the city,” he said, describing the situation as “alarming.”

Tehran’s water supply relies on five main dams — Lar, Mamlu, Amir Kabir, Taleqan, and Latyan — with Amir Kabir being the largest. However, Iran has experienced a sharp decline in rainfall over the past five years. Meteorological data show that precipitation in Tehran this year is about 40 per cent below seasonal averages, leading to a drastic drop in both reservoir and groundwater levels.

The Tehran Water Authority warned on July 20 that the reservoirs supplying the capital had reached their lowest level in a century due to the prolonged drought. Intermittent water cuts have already been implemented during the summer months.

On November 3, Behzad Parsa, head of the Tehran Water Authority, said dam reserves could supply the city for only two more weeks if dry conditions persist.

Pezeshkian had previously cautioned on July 23 that “if the crisis continued at its current pace without effective measures, providing water to the public would soon become impossible.”

The president emphasised the need for urgent action, calling for better management and conservation of Iran’s water and energy resources as the country faces what could become one of its most severe environmental crises in decades.

By Sabina Mammadli