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4d ago

Iran Warns Tehran May Face Evacuation as Reservoirs Plunge to Single Digits

Prolonged drought compounded by years of overuse has left the capital’s water supplies near 11% despite stopgap measures.

Pistachios grow on a tree in Sirjan, Kerman province, Iran, in May 2025.
An Iranian man uses his cellphone while standing on the dried-up riverside of the Zayandeh Rud river, with the Si-o-se-pol (33-Bridge) historical bridge visible in the background, in the historic city of Isfahan, Iran, on February 22, 2025. Zayandeh Rud is one of the main tourist attractions of Isfahan, which has completely dried up. Historical bridges such as the 33-Bridge on the river may be damaged due to the subsidence of the Zayandeh Rud riverbed if the drought continues. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via AP)
Farmers work in a rice field in Golestan province, Iran, in June 2023.
Wheat during harvest time in Qazvin, Iran, in 2022.

Overview

  • President Masoud Pezeshkian warned this month that if rains fail, Tehran will face water rationing and possibly evacuation.
  • He has revived the long-debated plan to relocate the capital, calling the move a necessity given the deepening crisis.
  • Tehran’s main reservoirs are roughly 11% full, with Latyan near 9% and Amir Kabir about 8%, as residents report pressure cuts.
  • About 10% of Iran’s dams have run dry and roughly 20 provinces have registered little or no rain since the rainy season began.
  • Authorities are pursuing interbasin transfers, reduced pressure and cloud seeding, but experts say reforms are essential as leaks waste around 30% of treated water.