Problems
Water scarcity is a significant issue in Iran, one of the driest countries in the world. The country's water resources are heavily reliant on rainfall. The limited water supply is rapidly depleted due to climate change and human activities such as overuse, mismanagement, and pollution. In recent years, Iran has experienced a series of droughts that have exacerbated the water crisis, with the drought in 2021 being one of the most severe in recent memory. The situation is particularly dire in the central regions of Iran, where farmers and rural communities are struggling to access water for their daily needs and agriculture. In addition, the water crisis has also led to social and political unrest in some regions of Iran, with protests erupting over water shortages and mismanagement. The water supply is likewise affected by population growth. Population growth in Iran during the previous century is one of the leading causes of water shortages; as the society grew, so did the level of water consumption without sufficient awareness of Iran’s limited supply. Iran’s population in the 20th century increased sixfold: the growth rate was 0.6% at the beginning of the century and increased to 3.19% between 1976 and 1986. The government encouraged population growth after the revolution without paying attention to water security. Iran’s population is expected to reach 92 million, a significant number given that while the average consumption of an Iranian should be 150 to 175 litres a day, the average citizen consumes 1.5 to 2 times more. To address the water crisis, the Iranian government has launched various initiatives, including the construction of dams and water transfer projects, as well as programs aimed at reducing water usage in agriculture and industries. However, these efforts have been hindered by a lack of funding, technical expertise, and political will. Iran is squeezed between the need to reduce water consumption in anticipation of further drought and the need to use more water to maintain food security through self-sufficiency. Tackling Iran’s water crisis to avoid social and economic crises may require politically sensitive policy shifts, including partially or fully scaling down its agricultural self-sufficiency schemes and curbing population growth. Importing technology and innovations to make water consumption more efficient is a top priority. Overall, water scarcity in Iran is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a comprehensive approach involving not just government action but also public education, conservation, and international cooperation. Without urgent and sustained action, the situation is likely to worsen, with severe consequences for the people and the environment.
Gallery
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Timelines
2023
Iran and Afghanistan clashed over water rights after President Ebrahim Raisi charged that the Taliban government was restricting access to water from the Helmand River. The river flows across Afghanistan and empties into lakes and wetlands in southeastern Iran used by hundreds of thousands of people. Iran threatened to use military force to secure its water share, while Afghanistan accused Iran of interfering in its internal affairs. The dispute raised regional tensions and jeopardized the prospects of water diplomacy.
2022
Iran’s water crisis worsened as the country experienced its hottest summer on record. Extreme heat forced the country to shut down for fear of “heat exposure” and difficulty generating hydroelectric power. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a “water mafia” were accused of corruption and poor planning in water resource management. The water crisis also affected Iran’s ethnic minorities and disadvantaged provinces, increasing social unrest and inequality.
2021
Iran faced an “unprecedented drought” and rainfall levels substantially below long-term averages. Water shortages sparked protests in the southwest province of Khuzestan and other provinces. Farmers in central Isfahan province also protested the water transfer to neighbouring Yazd province. The government blamed the water crisis on climate change, sanctions, and mismanagement.
2018
Isfahan farmers protested the government’s “mismanagement” of water pipelines earmarked for irrigation. The government cancelled funding for all water projects in Isfahan in the following year’s budget, allegedly because of financial limitations, leading all eighteen MPs from the province to resign in protest.
2016
A report by the Islamic Parliament Research Center noted that the focus on building dams has led the agricultural sector to ignore developing upstream and downstream complementary structures such as irrigation systems, artificial watersheds (to store water more efficiently) and drainage networks (to reclaim land and protect from floods). During his first term in office, President Hassan Rouhani took steps to reverse this heavy reliance on dams, halting the construction of 14 dams in favour of building more underground pipelines that were less subject to evaporation.