Iran Scorches Under Brutal Heatwave as Water Crisis Deepens

Iran is battling a severe heatwave and worsening water shortages, with authorities urging the public to cut consumption and brace for further supply cuts.

This week marks the hottest stretch of the year so far, with temperatures soaring past 50°C (122°F) in parts of the country. In Tehran, the mercury hit 40°C on Sunday and was expected to rise to 41°C on Monday.

As the crisis escalates, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced a public holiday for Tehran province this Wednesday, citing “the necessity of conserving water and electricity.” The move follows growing concern over dwindling water resources amid the scorching heat.

Tehran’s reservoirs are now at their lowest level in 100 years, the capital’s water management company warned in a statement. Officials are pleading with residents to cut water use by at least 20% to ease the pressure.

The city’s council chair, Mehdi Chamran, also called on locals to save every drop, while the Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi issued an apology for prolonged water outages already affecting some neighborhoods — where taps have gone dry for up to 18 hours a day.

But behind the crisis is more than just extreme weather. Years of mismanagement, over-pumping of groundwater, and a failure to adapt to the mounting effects of climate change have left Iran’s water infrastructure on the brink. Southern provinces, already arid and over-exploited, are particularly vulnerable.

While climate change plays a growing role in Iran’s crisis, critics say much of the damage is man-made. Dams have been overbuilt, rivers redirected, and aquifers drained — a perfect storm for environmental collapse.

As the heat intensifies and water supplies evaporate, officials are scrambling for emergency measures. But for millions of Iranians sweating through blackouts and water cuts, the question remains: how much longer can the country hold out?

With input from Al Jazeera