Iran on Brink of Water Collapse as Reservoirs Run Dry

A professor at the University of Tehran and a specialist in water resource management, Benovshe Zahray, in an interview with sociologist Mohammad Fazeli's YouTube channel, which was widely shared on social media, has declared a severe water supply situation in the country.

According to the professor, the current year is the fifth in a row where precipitation has remained below the long-term average. She emphasized that there are only two to three weeks left to take the necessary measures. Otherwise, in September, Iran could face the risk of a complete collapse of its water supply system.

Zahray noted that the situation poses a serious threat to Tehran, as water reserves in some reservoirs have already been depleted. Furthermore, in the city of Hamedan, the problem has reached a critical level: the water in the Ekbatan dam has completely run out.

An anomalous heatwave that began in Iran on July 18 has led to disruptions in water and electricity supplies in several regions of the country. The heat has affected at least 18 out of 31 provinces, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in 10 of them. Record temperatures of 53°C have been recorded in some areas.

Government institutions in Tehran and other cities are closing to conserve resources. According to the provincial water supply company, the capital is facing a drought: precipitation levels have reached a 60-year low, and the water level in the dams has dropped to a record low for the last century.