As the dams feeding Tehran run dry, Iran struggles with a dire water crisis

"Authorities are scrambling to provide drinking water across Iran, particularly in the capital, Tehran, as Iranians grapple with the effects of multiple ongoing crises. If there is no rain by next month, water will have to be rationed in Tehran; in fact, the city of 10 million may even have to be evacuated, President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech on Friday. While experts say evacuating the city is a last resort that will likely not come to pass, the president's stark warning is indicative of the mammoth burden facing the country of more than 90 million, its ailing economy reeling under sanctions."

"Iran is now grappling with its sixth consecutive year of drought, while heatwaves pushed temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer. The past water year, ending in late September 2025, was one of the driest on record, with the current year shaping up to be worse, with Iran receiving only 2.3mm (0.09 inches) of precipitation by early November, down by 81 percent compared with the historical average of the same period, the Meteorological Organization said."

"A whopping 19 dams up from nine three weeks ago are on the verge of drying out, filled to less than 5 percent capacity. Dozens of others are not faring much better, according to data from the Water Resources Management Company. Most of the five major dams feeding Tehran from nearby mountain ranges, the Lar, Latyan, Karaj (Amir Kabir), Taleqan and Mamloo Dams, are at extremely low capacity, with an average of about 10 percent capacity."

Iran allocates roughly 90 percent of its water to low-yield agriculture, worsening vulnerability during prolonged dry conditions. The country faces a sixth consecutive year of drought and extreme heat with temperatures exceeding 50°C. Precipitation fell drastically, with only 2.3mm recorded by early November, an 81 percent reduction from historical averages. Nineteen dams are near empty and many others are at minimal capacity; the five main dams supplying Tehran average about 10 percent capacity. Authorities are preparing for water rationing and emergency measures in the capital if rains do not arrive soon.

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