The hottest summer in recorded history has descended upon humanity. Scientists had forewarned of a dramatic surge in global warming as we approached 2023.
Is modern civilization prepared to confront this unwelcome intruder? Regrettably, the response from people living under Iran’s religious fascism is overwhelmingly bitter and disastrous.
An article in The Washington Post sheds light on the consequences of the regime’s 40-year mismanagement of water resources.
This outlet wrote that Iran’s water scarcity crisis, largely attributed to decades of mismanagement according to experts, has been exacerbated by the accelerating effects of climate change, leading to increasing discontent among the population.
This report reveals that the regime, to deflect blame, is endeavoring to pin the origins of this catastrophe on external factors such as the ‘Afghan Taliban,’ ‘natural’ phenomena, and the high-water consumption by citizens. In short, they are shirking responsibility for their own actions.
Since 2022, Iran has been teetering between water stress and water crisis, as determined by the water stress index. This index is calculated based on the amount of water available per cubic meter per person per year.
If a country has more than 1,700 cubic meters of water per person per year, it is considered to have no water-related issues.
However, if the availability falls below this amount, the country gradually experiences water stress (between 1,700 and 1,000 cubic meters) and may eventually face a full-blown water crisis (below 1,000 cubic meters).
As of now, Iran’s water situation places it in this critical range between water stress and a potential water crisis.
According to Kaveh Madani, the director of the United Nations Water Think Tank and the former deputy of Iran’s Environmental Organization, the Iranian authorities have been responsible for not only depleting surface water but also causing severe damage to underground water reserves.
This has been primarily due to the construction of numerous dams that disrupt the natural flow and accumulation of water.
The consequences of this water mismanagement are starkly evident in the drought-stricken province of Khuzestan, where the effects of water bankruptcy have become apparent in vast areas.
In the midst of an unprecedented heatwave, the temperatures in five cities in Khuzestan, namely Omidiyeh, Shush, Ramhormoz, Aghajari, and Ahvaz, have risen above 50 degrees Celsius, prompting the General Meteorological Department of Khuzestan to issue an orange warning.
Simultaneously, the cities of Ghilavieh and Malashieh in Khuzestan are grappling with severe dehydration, further highlighting the severity of the water crisis in the region.
We must not forget the events that occurred two years ago in various cities of Khuzestan, including Ahvaz, Abadan, and Khorramshahr, where large-scale demonstrations and protests erupted due to the severe lack of water.
Regrettably, instead of addressing the grievances of the people, the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) under the authority of Khamenei, the supreme leader, resorted to harsh suppression, further exacerbating the situation.
Recently, the head of the IRGC, Hossein Salami, visited Khuzestan and made alarming threats to the already suffering and heat-stressed population of the province.
He warned that the IRGC is prepared to confront any form of dissent, referring to protestors as “insurgents” and implying that the opposition’s petitions will be distorted or suppressed.
The water crisis caused by the authoritarian government is not confined solely to regions like Khuzestan, Ilam, Kerman, Sistan, and Baluchistan. Even in Tehran, people are now grappling with the dire consequences of water scarcity.
Interestingly, a member of the regime’s parliament from Golestan province also acknowledged the severity of the water crisis in their region.
He urged Raisi’s government to provide water through tankers as a temporary measure to address the crisis and prevent it from escalating into social unrest and tension among the population.
In mid-May, the regime’s experts revealed a significant decline of 41 million cubic meters of water in the reservoirs of the five dams of Tehran.
Presently, the people of Iran are left with approximately 103 billion cubic meters of water, out of which 30 billion cubic meters have been lost due to the corruption and incompetence of the previous governments over the past 20 years.
However, it is important to note that the statistics provided by the regime are as usual manipulated to downplay the severity of the situation.
The regime claims that the water per capita has been around 1200 cubic meters since 2007, indicating that the country is experiencing water stress. This figure, however, is not accurate.
Gholamhossein Shafi’ei, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, has issued a stark warning regarding the water crisis in Iran.
He cautioned that if the current situation persists, the prospect of any form of life in the country may become increasingly uncertain within the next 20 years.
The severity of the water crisis demands immediate attention and action, and Shafei emphasizes that there is a critical window of 10 years to effectively address and prevent this looming challenge.
The estimates provided by Gholamhossein Shafi’ei paint a concerning picture of the water situation in Iran.
The rapid increase in the number of deep wells over the years, from 47,000 in the 1970s to 850,000 in 2018, reflects the unsustainable and excessive extraction of groundwater in the country.
The water shortage and dehydration crisis now stand as the most critical threat to Iran’s territory. This alarm has been sounded for years, but the situation has reached a point where it is not only an environmental crisis but also a security, social, and humanitarian issue.
The severity of the water crisis has far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the environment and ecosystems but also the well-being and livelihoods of the Iranian population.
