Firooz Ghasemzadeh, Director General of Iran’s Office of Water Information and Data, said total rainfall since the beginning of the water year (late September) has reached just 141.7 mm, far below the long-term average of 230.6 mm. This marks a 39% decline compared to the historical norm and a 40% drop from the same period last year.
Provinces in southern and central Iran, including Tehran, Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Yazd, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, have experienced rainfall deficits of up to 70%, placing their water reserves in an extremely critical state.
Water inflow to the nation’s dams since the beginning of the water year totals 20.23 billion cubic meters, down 42% from the previous year. Current dam storage stands at 26.9 billion cubic meters, a 23% year-on-year decline.
Ghasemzadeh urged immediate action to reform agricultural water usage and shift to more water-efficient crops. He also called for public cooperation, emphasizing that “every saved liter of water could prove vital” as the country braces for a dry summer.
