How ‘day zero’ water shortages in Iran are fuelling protests
Supply failures are dramatic example of way climate crisis threatens basic human needs – and with it political stability
TL;DR
- Iran is facing its sixth year of severe drought, with major cities like Mashhad, Tabriz, and Tehran at risk of "water day zero."
- Nightly "pressure cuts" have become common in Tehran, and protests over water rights have occurred.
- The head of Tehran's regional water company reported that the capital's main dams were only 11% full in November.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian considered evacuating Tehran if rainfall did not occur by December.
- The water crisis is a significant, though under-reported, background factor to recent protests in Iran, which were also driven by austerity and currency devaluation.
- Climate breakdown is identified as a deep cause of water shortages, with Iran's cities warming twice as fast as the global rate.
- Decades of mismanagement include abandoning ancient qanat systems in favor of large-scale dam construction, which has led to evaporation and altered water flows.
- Post-revolution efforts focused on maximizing domestic water extraction, particularly groundwater, without sustainability.
- Afghanistan's Taliban regime controls 80% of the Harirud River flow after completing the Pashdan Dam, impacting Iran's water supply to cities like Mashhad.
- Armed clashes occurred between Iran and Afghanistan over the Helmand River in 2023.
- Over 1 million groundwater pumps, 90% for agriculture, have depleted Iran's groundwater supplies, causing subsidence in cities like Isfahan.
- Economic challenges, including sanctions and costly subsidies, have led the government to attempt reforms like ending preferential exchange rates, which could further increase inflation.
- The combination of water shortages, inflation, and sanctions has created a "terminal crisis."
- Global forecasts suggest a significant increase in "day zero" risk for drought-prone regions due to the climate crisis, with Iran serving as a prime example of its impact on essential systems and political stability.