In Iran, water scarcity is caused by high climatic variability, uneven distribution of water, over exploitation of available water resources, and prioritization of economic development. It is further exacerbated by climate change. Iran suffers from ground water depletion. From 2002 to 2017, the nationwide groundwater recharge declined by around −3.8 mm/yr. According to Saemian et al. (2022) Iran lost about 211 ± 34 km3 of its total water storage (> twice Iran's annual water consumption) within the 2003–2019 period. Water scarcity can be a result of two mechanisms: physical (absolute) water scarcity and economic water scarcity, where physical water scarcity is a result of inadequate natural water resources to supply a region's demand, and economic water scarcity is a result of poor management of the sufficient available water resources. Rainfall is highly seasonal, which led to the government building dams to ensure a more consistent water supply. Despite this, water availability has declined since the 20th century whilst demand has increased. By the 2010s, authorities and the United Nations were describing it as a crisis and it contributed to protests in the country. According to a survey, the majority of Iranians blame the water crisis on mismanagement and inefficiency.
The severity of the problem According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), Iran ranks among the most water-stressed countries in the world. The country falls under the "extremely high" category on the Water Stress Index, where 80% to 100% of renewable water resources are withdrawn annually. This means Iran is utilizing nearly all of its available water supply for agriculture, industry, and domestic use, leaving little to no buffer for periods of drought or variability in rainfall.
In July 2025, Iranian experts and senior officials issued severe warnings regarding the country's water situation. Dr. Banafsheh Zehraei, a professor of water resources management at the University of Tehran, warned of an "apocalyptic" scenario in the water sector, stating that only two to three weeks remained to prevent the final disaster of a nationwide drinking water shortage. She also identified the lack of coordination between responsible institutions as one of the main obstacles. Professor Ezatollah Raisi Ardakani warned that Iran no longer has water reserves to withstand years of drought, and that agriculture in the country has become completely dependent on annual rainfall. He placed responsibility on the government for the dire condition of farmers and for the failure to properly implement agricultural insurance. In this context, Abbas Aliabadi, the Minister of Energy, referred to the situation as a "water crisis" and emphasized that Tehran is facing its worst water resource situation in the past 100 years. He also warned that the eastern and southeastern regions of Tehran Province would run out of water within a month due to the withdrawal of the Mamloo Dam from the supply system. The New York Times addressed the issue, stating that Iran is on the brink of an unprecedented crisis in its water resources, a crisis that could lead to the complete depletion of the capital's water reserves and the collapse of vital infrastructure within just a few weeks. A survey conducted in September 2025 found that 75% of Iranians blame the water crisis on "domestic mismanagement and inefficiency," while only 14% attribute the crisis to natural factors and just 4% to international sanctions.
Climate
Rainfall in Iran is highly seasonal with a rainy season between October and March that leaves the land extremely dry for the remainder of the year. Immense seasonal variations in flow characterize Iran's rivers. For example, the Karun River in Khuzestan carries water during periods of maximum flow that is ten times the amount borne in dry periods. In numerous localities, there may be no precipitation until sudden storms, accompanied by heavy rains, dump almost the entire year's rainfall in a few days. Water shortages are compounded by the unequal distribution of water. Near the Caspian Sea, rainfall averages about 1,280 mm (50 in) per year, but in the Central Plateau and in the lowlands to the south it seldom exceeds 100 mm (3.9 in). Iran's susceptibility to high variation in temperature and precipitation has led to the creation of dams and reservoirs to regulate and create a more stable water flow throughout the country.
Climate change
Iran's overall climate has become drier over the past several decades. Precipitation levels have dropped by about 20-25% in key regions, exacerbating the water crisis. The decline in rainfall and increasing temperatures have pushed the country toward rapid desertification. The Zayandeh Rud River in Isfahan is a striking example. It has dried up multiple times over the last decade, resulting in extensive damage to agriculture. Iran is expected to have a mean temperature increase of 2.6 °C and a 35% decrease in precipitation within the next few decades. This could potentially exacerbate current drought and crop production issues.
Drought Iran is an arid and drought prone country with increasing vulnerability to this natural hazard. Water scarcity and drought issues are among the biggest challenges facing the country. The severity of drought episodes during 1999 to 2001 was immense as it affected to varying degrees 26 provinces and over half the population of the country.
Lake Urmia crisis Once the largest saltwater lake in the Middle East, Lake Urmia has shrunk by 90% since the 1970s due to dam construction, agricultural water diversion, and climate change. Although efforts to restore the lake have been made since 2013, Lake Urmia's decline remains one of the most visible signs of Iran's water crisis. In 1997, the lake's area covered approximately 5,000 km2 but shrank to 500 km2 by 2013. Restoration projects have helped recover some of the lake, but challenges persist.
Environmental Challenges Environmental issues such as decreasing rainfall, low precipitation levels due to climate change have aggravated Iran's water scarcity in recent years. In 2017 precipitation levels decreased by 25 percent, felt even in historically water-rich areas in the country's north and northwestern areas. This has contributed to the reported reduction of water entering Iran's dams by 33 percent, from 32 billion cubic meters (BCM) of surface water in 2017 to 25 BCM in 2018.
Water resources
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
