A dire water crisis is unfolding in Iran’s capital, with officials warning that drinking water in Tehran could run out within two weeks. According to Al Jazeera, the city’s main reservoir, the Amir Kabir Dam, is down to just eight percent of its capacity — holding only 14 million cubic meters of water.
This emergency follows a “100 percent drop in precipitation” across the region, marking the worst drought Iran has seen in decades. The Alborz Mountains, which usually feed the city’s reservoirs through snowmelt and rainfall, are now parched. Officials say Tehran, a megacity of over 10 million people, consumes about three million cubic meters of water daily — a rate that has become unsustainable under current conditions.
Experts blame not just nature, but human choices. Years of mismanagement and overuse of underground aquifers have left Iran dangerously vulnerable to Climate change. The crisis has already forced authorities to cut supplies in some neighbourhoods and declare public holidays to conserve energy and water during heatwaves exceeding 40°C (104°F).
This pattern isn’t isolated. Across the Middle East, from Iraq’s shrinking Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to Iran’s drying wetlands, entire ecosystems are collapsing under relentless heat and water scarcity. For people, animals, and agriculture alike, the consequences are catastrophic.
The tragedy in Tehran is a stark reminder that the health of our environment directly shapes our survival. Without urgent climate action — reducing emissions, protecting rivers, and supporting plant-based diets that demand less water — such crises will only grow more frequent and more severe.
We can all play a role by supporting sustainable policies, conserving water at home, and choosing lifestyles that protect the planet we share.
Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content.Click here to Support Us
Sign These Petitions!
Please sign our latest and most urgent petitions to help the planet. Every signature counts!
Related Content:
Easy Ways to Help the Planet:
Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Stand against fast fashion Pollution by supporting circular brands like Tiny Rescue, which create cause-based collections using recycled, zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill.
Shop Sustainably for Your Home: Visit SustaiNOBLE.org, an eco-friendly and ethically sourced home decor store that will empower your home with luxurious fair-trade, and sustainable products made by global artisans.
Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!