Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that the capital city, Tehran, could face an unprecedented water crisis if rainfall does not occur soon. Speaking during a visit to the western city of Sanandaj, President Pezeshkian said that the government is struggling to deal simultaneously with economic, environmental and social challenges, while the main reservoir supplying Tehran has only two weeks of water left.

Calling the drought-induced water shortage one of Iran’s most serious natural challenges, Pezeshkian cautioned that if the dry spell continues, water distribution in Tehran will be restricted next month. “If this drought persists, we will run out of water, and evacuating the city might become inevitable,” he warned. The president emphasized the urgent need for better management and conservation of the country’s water and energy resources, describing the current situation as “deeply alarming.”

Tehran’s water supply depends on five major dams, Lar, Mamloo, Amir Kabir, Taleghan, and Latian, with Amir Kabir being the largest. However, the Tehran Water Authority had already raised concerns in July, noting that water reserves had fallen to their lowest level in a century. Last week, the authority’s head, Behzad Parsa, reiterated that if dry weather continues, the remaining water in the dams will only sustain the city’s needs for another two weeks. Officials have urged citizens to conserve water as the crisis deepens.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)