Iran water crisis: Tehran may be relocated, president says

Tehran is facing a severe water shortage, a crisis that could force its 15 million residents to move, according to the Asr-Iran news site, as announced by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. "The situation is serious, and Tehran effectively no longer has water," said the Iranian president, adding that moving the capital is not being ruled out as an emergency solution.

In Iran, there is a water crisis in more than 20 of the country's 31 provinces. According to the state-run IRNA agency, one of the country's largest reservoirs could completely dry up in the next few weeks. The water level in seven of the country's reservoirs has dropped to less than 10 percent, two dams in the southern Hormozgan and Fars provinces have completely dried up, and 80 percent of the country's reservoirs are almost empty.

According to various estimates, the water level in Iran's reservoirs is dropping below a 100-year low. Pezeshkian considers the drought of recent years to be one of the causes of the crisis, while also criticizing the previous government, which, according to the president, had ignored the problem.

Due to the water shortage, Iran has already switched to a conservation mode: government offices and schools will remain closed at least until Saturday, factories have been closed, and mass layoffs are expected.