Iran: power cuts, water shortages, and a looming disaster

As a relentless heat wave pushes temperatures toward 50°C (122°F), Iran has ordered government offices in 16 provinces, including Tehran, to close Wednesday to conserve electricity. The crisis highlights a deeper struggle: dwindling water supplies, failing infrastructure, and warnings that Tehran’s reservoirs could run dry within months.

The meteorological agency warns the heat wave—ongoing since mid-July—will last at least five more days, with scorching temperatures crippling power infrastructure.

Surging demand for air conditioning has triggered prolonged blackouts, leaving residents to endure sweltering conditions.

Drought reaches breaking point

Tehran faces its worst rainfall in 60 years, drastically depleting reservoirs. The city of 9 million, perched on the edge of Iran’s central desert, has reduced water pressure in pipelines to stretch dwindling supplies.

President Masoud Pezeshkian singled out the Amir Kabir Dam—a key water source—warning that without drastic cuts in usage, Tehran’s dams could be empty by September.

Decades of mismanagement collide

Experts trace the crisis to population growth (from 28 million in 1969 to 92 million today), agricultural overuse, and poor urban planning.

"Nature has borne the consequences," says environmentalist Mansour Sohrabi, citing deforestation, sandstorms, and pollution from unchecked development.

Cities on the brink

In recent weeks, multiple cities have endured 48-hour water shutoffs. Power grids, already fragile, buckle under demand.

For residents facing 40–50°C heat without reliable electricity or water, the situation is becoming unbearable.

A warning for the future

With resources stretched thin, officials urge conservation—but the clock is ticking.

As Pezeshkian put it: "If we don’t act, there won’t be any water left."

For Iran, the heat wave isn’t just a seasonal challenge—it’s a preview of crises to come.