Iran’s Water Crisis Pushes the Country to the Brink
With Tehran nearing “Day Zero” and nationwide protests growing louder the regime faces the risk of a civil uprising
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Iran is facing a severe water emergency as 12 of its largest and most important dams have dropped below 10% capacity, according to state-linked Tasnim News Agency. Several reservoirs have already run completely dry, leaving the capital Tehran on the brink of a “Day Zero” when taps may stop flowing altogether.
The Lar Dam, which supplies much of Tehran, has fallen below 5%, while the Sefidrud Dam in Gilan Province holds just 4%. With scorching heatwaves pushing temperatures above 50°C in some regions, the government declared a public holiday on July 23 across 10 provinces to reduce water and electricity demand. Officials urged residents to cut water use by 20%, while outages lasting hours were reported nationwide.
Beyond shortages, the crisis is causing land subsidence of dozens of centimeters per year due to overpumping of aquifers. Roads, critical infrastructure, and even historic sites such as Persepolis and ancient mosques face structural damage.
Since May 2025, protests have erupted under the slogan “Water, Electricity, Life — Our Basic Right.” What began as environmental anger is increasingly merging with political discontent over government mismanagement.