Iran Faces Historic Water Crisis as Heatwave Sparks Outages, Protests, and Shutdowns

Iran is grappling with an unprecedented water crisis as a severe heatwave pushes temperatures above 50°C, depleting reservoirs to their lowest levels in a century.

Authorities have declared public holidays, shut down government offices, and urged citizens to drastically reduce water consumption in an effort to conserve dwindling resources. Widespread water and electricity outages have triggered public anger, leading to protests in several cities, including Sabzevar. The crisis is exacerbated by years of mismanagement, drought, and corruption, with officials warning that the country could soon face complete water shortages and nationwide rationing.

The government is now seeking water imports from neighboring countries as the situation grows increasingly dire.