- By Shivangi Sharma
- Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:08 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran is facing one of its worst water crises in decades, prompting senior officials to warn that Tehran, a city of over 10 million residents, may soon become uninhabitable unless urgent rainfall arrives. In an alarming speech earlier this month, President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioned that the government would begin water rationing if rain does not fall by the end of December. If the drought persists, he warned, authorities may have no choice but to “evacuate Tehran.”
While experts say evacuating a metropolis of more than 15 million in its wider metro area is practically impossible, Pezeshkian’s remarks reflect the severity of Iran’s environmental emergency. Tehran’s reservoirs, which once held 500 million cubic metres of water, have dropped to nearly half that amount. Across the country, almost 20 provinces have not seen a single drop of rain since the rainy season began in late September, according to Mohsen B. Mesgaran of the University of California, Davis. Nationally, 19 major dams, roughly 10 per cent of Iran’s total, have effectively run dry.
As fears rise, worshippers in several cities have begun gathering in mosques to pray for rain, reviving traditional practices in times of extreme drought. Officials describe this spiritual response as part of a broader push for “divine intervention,” even as technological and policy solutions remain limited.
Long-Debated Plan To Move Capital Revived
It was the worsening crisis that persuaded Pezeshkian to revisit an idea that has been floated for years, yet never acted upon: moving Iran's capital. Past governments had pressed for the move because of Tehran's chronic water stress, land subsidence, air pollution, and increasing exposure to earthquakes.
Today, the situation is far more critical. Even with rationing, Pezeshkian warned, “If it still does not rain, then we will have no water at all. They have to evacuate Tehran.”
Why Iran Is Running Out Of Water
The country is in its sixth year of severe drought, coupled with soaring temperatures which can be above 122°F in summer. According to state media, the country got 40 per cent less rainfall last year compared to the long-term 57-year average, and forecasts indicate that the dry spell will persist until the end of December.
Major cities beyond Tehran are also suffering. In Mashhad, the country’s second-largest city, water reserves have plunged to below 3 per cent. Nationwide, water infrastructure has also been impacted by regional instability, including damage from the 12-day conflict with Israel.
Compounding the crisis is decades of poor water management, residents say. “The authorities have known about this problem for years, but nothing has been done,” said Sadegh Razavi, a restaurant owner.
Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi has earlier warned that the government may soon implement night-time power cuts, reduce water pressure, and divert supplies from remaining reserves.