Iran’s president said to warn unprecedented water crisis could force Tehran evacuation

By AP 7 November 2025, 5:30 pm

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A picture taken on June 1, 2025 shows the low water inlet of the river upstream of the Amir Kabir dam along the Karaj river in Iran's northern Alborz mountain range. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Iran’s president has warned that the capital is facing an unprecedented water and energy crisis as reservoirs have plunged to historic lows, threatening supplies of drinking water and electricity generation, it was reported on Friday.

“If it doesn’t rain in Tehran by late November, we’ll have to ration water. And if it still doesn’t rain, we’ll have to evacuate Tehran,” President Masoud Pezeshkian was cited as saying on Thursday by the SNN.ir semi-official news agency.

Pezeshkian described the situation as “extremely critical,” citing reports that Tehran’s dam reservoirs have fallen to their lowest level in 60 years.

The city has entered its sixth consecutive year of drought, with some dams at less than 10% of capacity.

Officials say that in the east of Tehran, the Latyan Dam — one of five key reservoirs — is only about 9% full.

“Latyan’s water storage is just nine million cubic meters,” Deputy Energy Minister Mohammad Javanbakht said recently, calling the situation “critical.”