President Massoud Pezeshkian issued a clear warning at the same day’s cabinet meeting and cited a report from the Ministry of Energy that revealed that the crisis is worse than publicly acknowledged.
Iran is currently experiencing a major water crisis. The Iranian government has announced an emergency public holiday in Tehran province as the country struggles to cope with severe water shortages and energy crisis that exacerbates soaring temperatures that have lifted the country’s aging infrastructure to its rupture point.
Government spokesman Fatemeh Mohajerani announced on X that Wednesday, July 23 will be a public holiday in Tehran province, “after the ongoing extreme heat and the need to preserve water and electricity.” She encourages citizens to use their time to “rest, travel for a short trip or be with their family while observing safety guidelines and emphasizing energy.”
An unprecedented move was that Tehran hit about 104°F (40°C) on Sunday as temperatures in Iran rose to seasonal averages, putting huge pressure on the country’s power grid and water supply systems.
President Massoud Pezeshkian issued a clear warning at the same day’s cabinet meeting and cited a report from the Ministry of Energy that revealed that the crisis is worse than publicly acknowledged.
“The water crisis is more serious than what is being discussed today, and if we don’t take urgent action now, we will face a situation where there is no remedy in the future,” Pezeshkian was quoted by state media. “In the water sector, we need to address too much consumption in addition to management and planning.”
The low water entrance to the upper reaches of the Karaj River is on June 1, 2025 in the Northern Alberts Mountains of Iran, which is the northern mountain range of northern Iran.
As Iran crosses Iran’s water shutdown, especially in Tehran, the gravity of the situation becomes increasingly apparent, and in reports that more and more residents describe as silent rationing, alleging that officials denied the officials, attributed the interference to the drop in pressure in the system.
Last week, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi issued a shocking forecast warning that Iran’s critical reservoirs could be completely dry within weeks. The minister revealed that Iran is actively negotiating imports of water with neighboring countries, although the shortage has strained regional relations in Iran.
Tehran’s water tools announced that current reserves of major dams in the capital have fallen to their lowest levels in a century. Officials cited unprecedented five-year drought, coupled with record rainfall, a major factor that puts the province at its worst water pressure in six decades.
According to the World Resources Institute, Iran ranks 14th among the 14th most popular nation in the world, with commentators increasingly discussing potential “zero days” when water supply is completely exhausted.
Academic researcher Reza Talebi noted that Iran’s active expansion of dam construction has worsened the country’s water crisis rather than alleviating the crisis. According to Talebi, between 2012 and 2018, the number of dams in Iran has more than doubled from 316 to 647, many of which are erected without proper environmental assessment and are often driven by political or military agendas.
The Latyan Dam, located near Tehran, has seen its capacity shrink from 95 million to just 9 million cubic meters. Meanwhile, Tehran’s groundwater level has fallen 12 meters over the past 20 years, helping land settlement and threatening the stability of urban infrastructure. Major infrastructure issues also result in preventable water losses, with Tehran estimated that about 25% of water losses due to poor facilities management.
Recognizing the scale of the challenge, Pezshkian stressed that resolving Iran’s water crisis requires a fundamental shift in national strategy. Speaking at a government academic seminar on sustainable water management, he stressed that water shortages are not a temporary issue but a long-term national challenge.
“The crisis cannot be resolved through fragmented projects,” Pezshkian declared. “We need to be consistently rooted in five key pillars: integrated soil and water engineering, effective education, incentive policies, strict legal enforcement and ongoing assessment and supervision.”
The President called for the establishment of a joint expert working group that combines government agencies and academic institutions to design specific environmental solutions at the provincial and county levels and recognizes Iran’s great climate and geographical diversity.
Pezeshkian also highlighted the importance of the public awareness campaign. “Policy makers and citizens must understand the urgency. We must make water data widely available and embed water conservation into educational curriculum.”
Energy Minister Eli Cohen addresss the Iranian people
The crisis has also attracted international attention, including a clear response from Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who posted a message on social media to address the Iranian people directly.
“I see your suffering and know you don’t even have enough drinking water. This is because your oppressive regime, rather than investing in providing drinking water, has spent water on a failed nuclear program, which has now been entrusted to the trash of history.”
Cohen criticized Iran’s government priorities and noted: “They did not address the needs of the Iranian people, but instead used resources to terrorist branches in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Gaza.”
The Israeli minister stressed his country’s success in water management and noted that “Israel has managed to overcome the water shortage and, thanks to our knowledge and innovation, we now have a large amount of water resources and even export to our neighbors.”
Cohen presents a summary of future cooperation: “For the Iranian state: the day when this oppressive regime is overthrown, your life will be much better and you will be able to benefit from Israel’s water technology.”
The water crisis represents one of the most serious challenges facing the Iranian government, combining direct humanitarian concerns with long-term issues regarding the country’s environmental sustainability and resource allocation priorities.
