Speaking on Sunday at a government-academic symposium focused on sustainable water management, he emphasized that the water shortage is not a temporary issue but a long-term national challenge.
“The crisis cannot be solved through fragmented projects,” Pezeshkian said.
“We need consistent efforts anchored in five key pillars: integrated water-soil-crop engineering, effective education, incentive policies, strict legal enforcement against violations, and continuous evaluation and oversight.”
He called for the establishment of expert joint task forces between government bodies and academic institutions to design context-specific solutions at the provincial and county levels, noting the vast climatic and geographical differences across Iran.
Pezeshkian also highlighted the importance of raising public awareness.
“Both policymakers and citizens must understand the urgency. We must make water data widely accessible and embed water conservation into educational curricula.”
Meanwhile, Tehran’s water utility announced that current reserves in the capital’s main dams have reached their lowest levels in a century, citing an unprecedented five-year drought and record-low rainfall as contributing factors. The province now faces its most severe water stress in six decades.
