Tehran is running out of drinking water: millions of residents at risk

Tehran’s water crisis is intensifying. According to official data, the city’s drinking water reserves could run out within two weeks. President Masoud Pezeshkian has described the situation as “a national-level state of emergency.”

Behzad Parsi, head of the Tehran Water Supply Company, stated that one of the five reservoirs supplying the city — the Amir Kabir Dam — is operating at only 8% capacity, holding just 14 million cubic meters of water. A year ago, this figure stood at 86 million cubic meters.

A sharp decline in rainfall has drastically reduced water levels and nearly dried up underground sources. Tehran’s population consumes about 3 million cubic meters of water per day, but in some districts, the supply has already been restricted.

Experts warn that if rain does not fall soon and urgent measures are not taken, the evacuation of nearly 10 million residents might become necessary. This could become one of the largest ecological and humanitarian crises in Iran’s history.