Water levels at dam reservoirs supplying Iran's second-largest city, Mashhad, have fallen below 3%, according to reports. Hossein Esmaeilian, chief executive of the local water company, told ISNA news agency that the situation has become critical, with consumption reaching about 8,000 litres per second, of which only 1,000 to 1,500 litres come from dams.
Mashhad, home to 4 million people and Iran's holiest city, relies on four dams for its water supply. Esmaeilian warned that managing water use is no longer a recommendation but a necessity, and that those with the highest consumption could face supply cuts first.
Authorities in Tehran have warned of possible rolling cuts to water supplies amid what officials call the worst drought in decades. President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioned that without rainfall before winter, even Tehran could face evacuation. Five major dams supplying the capital are at critical levels, with one empty and another below 8% capacity.
Nationwide, 19 major dams—about 10% of Iran's reservoirs—have effectively run dry, according to Abbasali Keykhaei of the Iranian Water Resources Management Company. The crisis follows months of drought, with summer heatwaves causing daily power outages in Tehran and prompting public holidays to reduce consumption.
Local newspapers have criticised the politicisation of environmental decision-making. The reformist Etemad newspaper blamed the appointment of unqualified managers in key institutions, while Shargh daily stated: 'Climate is sacrificed for the sake of politics.'
