Iran is currently grappling with a severe water crisis, a situation clearly underscored by the United Nations’ water status and conditions index. The crisis is most pronounced in the central plateau of Iran, where an absolute water shortage is unfolding.
Regime officials have often attributed this crisis to factors like low rainfall and excessive water consumption. However, the Majlis Research Center has emphasized that mismanagement has played a pivotal role in exacerbating the situation.
The parliament’s research arm has also warned that the current model, if it aims to achieve self-sufficiency in producing food for the Iranian population, simply does not have the requisite water resources to support this goal.
According to the Tejarat News website, even normal rainfall this fall won’t signify the end of the drought and water crisis in Iran. The water levels in dams still stand at less than 50%, leaving many regions in Iran struggling with severe water shortages.
Tejarat News has highlighted that excessive water withdrawals have led to the depletion of underground water tables. Evidence of this crisis can be seen in land subsidence in various areas.
A report from the Majlis Research Center has emphasized that the water crisis is not solely due to climate change. However, it is obvious that the regime’s mismanagement and inadequate planning within the water sector have significantly contributed to this crisis, while not considering the crisis expanded by global climate change.
Studies reveal that human factors, such as increased water consumption, economic conditions, water-dependent livelihoods, import-export dynamics, land under cultivation, population growth, and food security, have a greater impact on rising water consumption than natural factors, like decreased rainfall.
Furthermore, the Fallenmark index for renewable water per capita indicates a critical situation in Iran, signaling inadequate water security and posing a substantial threat to food and social security.
Reports confirm that the central plateau and the Qarehqom watershed, among the country’s primary watersheds, are currently experiencing the most severe absolute water shortages.
Another index, provided by the research arm of the parliament and backed by the United Nations, paints a bleak picture of water security in Iran.
The Majlis Research Center’s report unequivocally states that striving for agricultural self-sufficiency with limited water resources is a practical mistake. This approach has already led to the depletion of water resources, particularly underground water, imperiling the nation’s water security.
Persisting with food production policies without accounting for the escalating risk of depleting underground water resources is a recipe for destabilizing the central plateau of Iran. The dire consequences include water scarcity, heightened sedimentation, and the inevitable large-scale migration of people from desert regions, a security concern of significant magnitude.
Inadequate planning to control floods in the plains, coupled with excessive water consumption in the agricultural sector, will only result in a significant waste of anticipated rainfall in the upcoming months. The persistence and intensification of water stress are recognized as key factors contributing to instability.
As articulated in the report from the Majlis Research Center, the most prominent causes of the water crisis in Iran are a lack of prudent governance and improper management. The absence of a comprehensive water management plan and a sustainable development vision portends a perilous future for Iran.
