Overview

• On July 31 in Omidieh, midday temperatures peaked at 51°C while most regions recorded highs above 45°C
• Authorities enforced forced water shutdowns that left taps in Tehran and other cities dry for hours each day
• Iran’s dams hold only about 20 percent of their capacity, prompting President Peseschkian to warn of a ‘crisis of empty reservoirs’ by September
• The Iran Meteorological Organization issued alerts for upcoming sandstorms and dangerous drops in air quality
• Climate experts link the heat wave and dwindling water supplies to decades of declining rainfall and accelerated climate change