As Iran’s water crisis intensifies, Mohammad Darvish, an environmental activist, stated that restoring the country’s groundwater resources would require at least 65,000 to 70,000 years. At the same time, a British publication warned that Tehran may be only weeks away from “Day Zero”—the day when water taps in the city run dry.
The state-run Etemad newspaper, on Saturday, August 2, published a report titled “We Must Wait 70,000 Years for Groundwater to Return,” citing environmental expert and university professor Mohammad Darvish. The article noted that Iran has reached a stage of desertification so advanced that even if water extraction stops, the aquifers cannot be restored.
Darvish explained that Iranians have extracted 150 billion cubic meters more than what has been naturally recharged into aquifers over the past three decades. This has led to land subsidence across at least 57,000 square kilometers, averaging one centimeter per year.
In an interview with Etemad, when asked, “So, should we never hope for groundwater restoration?” Darvish responded: “You can wait, for at least another 65,000 to 70,000 years. If you have the patience, you can hope that groundwater conditions will return to their ideal state.”
According to Darvish, today’s situation in Iran is the result of years of excessive extraction and neglect of aquifer replenishment.
He described Iran’s condition as the “final stage of desertification,” stating that many lands no longer have the capacity for construction, road-building, or even laying pipelines and towers, and are effectively unusable.
According to Darvish, based on a report by the Geological Survey of Iran, annual land subsidence now affects 100,000 square kilometers, reaching a rate of two centimeters per year—up from just 11,000 square kilometers in 2016. This alarming growth signals the rapidly accelerating nature of the crisis.
Weeks Away from Day Zero
The British magazine The Week reported on Iran’s critical water situation, stating that Tehran—a city of 10 million—may be only weeks away from Day Zero.
The publication defined Day Zero as the day when water taps across large parts of Tehran run completely dry.
According to the report, Iran is on the brink of water bankruptcy—a crisis driven by drought, climate change, and mismanagement of resources. Analysts warn that it could become a serious threat to Iran’s regime.
At the same time, Tehran’s water authority announced the closure of public restrooms due to water shortages—a decision that seriously impacts the daily lives of children, workers, patients, and city commuters.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, warned on July 31 that the country is “on the verge of a serious water crisis.”
He had previously stated: “If urgent decisions are not made, we will face a situation in the future that will not be solvable.”
The Week, referring to statements by regime officials, wrote that the water shortage crisis is not only due to recurring droughts, but also the result of excessive groundwater extraction, inefficient agricultural practices, and uncontrolled urban water consumption.
Experts warn that without long-term planning and immediate reform of consumption patterns, the water crisis could not only fuel social unrest but may also become a serious threat to the country’s environmental and political stability.
