Iran is grappling with its worst drought in decades, with President Masoud Pezeshkian warning that Tehran may face water rationing—or even evacuation—if rainfall does not arrive soon.
Speaking amid record-low reservoir levels, President Pezeshkian stated: “If rationing doesn’t work, we may have to evacuate Tehran.” His remarks have sparked widespread concern and criticism, with former Tehran Mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi calling the idea “a joke.”
🚨Iran Faces Worst Drought in 100 Years as Reservoirs Run Dry.
Only 7% of dam reservoirs are filled, 93% empty, and 19 dams nearly dry with less than 5% capacity. Authorities started night-time water cuts in Tehran to cope with the crisis.
📍Today’s Footage of Amir Kabir Dam. pic.twitter.com/ERcuV2UATT
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) November 8, 2025
Iran’s meteorological agency forecasts zero rainfall over the next 10 days, deepening a crisis already disrupting daily life.
Critical Dam Levels
- Latian Dam (Tehran): <10% capacity
- Karaj Dam (Tehran & Alborz): 8% usable water (“dead water” dominates)
- Mashhad’s four main dams: Combined storage below 3%; three dams non-operational
Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi confirmed nightly water cuts may soon drop flow “to zero” in parts of Tehran. Excessive usage penalties are being rolled out nationwide.
Officials blame a lethal mix:
- 92% year-on-year rainfall deficit
- Century-old leaking pipelines
- Infrastructure damage from June’s 12-day war with Israel
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The crisis extends beyond the capital. Dams in West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Markazi, and Khorasan Razavi provinces hover in single-digit percentages. Mashhad’s governor warned of a “mega-challenge of drought.”
Residents are stockpiling:
- “I’m buying tankers just for toilets,” one Tehran woman told BBC Persian.
- Rapper Vafa Ahmadpoor went viral showing dry taps for hours, relying on bottled water for basic needs.
Despite warnings from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei since 2011, structural fixes have lagged. With 16+ million people in Tehran, Karaj, and Mashhad at risk, Iran stands at a tipping point.
The government urges immediate conservation as hopes rest on late-autumn rains that forecasters say may never come.
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