Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Iran’s regime agriculture minister, referring to the “abnormal” state of Iran’s macroeconomic indicators, said that the country is in the toughest situation in terms of food security. Earlier, the Ministry of Intelligence had confidentially warned about food security.
On Sunday, August 31, Nouri Ghezeljeh also referred to what he called “the most unprecedented droughts” in a press conference, and urged agricultural sector workers to help the government ensure food security.
The British magazine The Week warned in a report that Iran is on the verge of water bankruptcy—a crisis caused by drought, climate change, and chronic mismanagement—which, according to analysts, may become a turning point for the Iranian regime.
While cities across the country have increasingly faced frequent water cuts after the 12-day war, official reports show that 80% to 90% of the country’s water resources are used in agriculture. In Iran, traditional farming methods still dominate.
In this press conference, Nouri Ghezeljeh said, “Reducing water consumption in agriculture is our duty,” adding, “We still haven’t received the exact figure in the program that we must reduce. That figure is even lower than what was considered in the program, meaning the situation is much tougher than what we are facing.”
The shortage of water for urban consumption and the need to secure food supplies have placed the Iranian regime in a deadlock.
Alireza Abbasi, the regime MP from Karaj, said in a July 18 meeting with managers of Alborz Regional Water Company: “Although providing drinking water is a priority, we should not sacrifice food security. No country ignores its food security, even if it has abundant water resources.”
Warning from the Ministry of Intelligence
On April 25, Ebrahim Rezai, spokesperson of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) National Security Commission, said that in a meeting with the commission’s members, the defense minister expressed readiness for his ministry to take part in food security projects.
Although no specific news or statistics have been officially published in this area, statements and leaked reports from within the Iranian regime’s structure indicate a level of concern among regime officials.
In addition to drought and water shortages, the country’s economic situation has fueled further concerns.
The Ministry of Intelligence has warned ministries and major companies that the consequences of reactivating the snapback mechanism could lead to a halt in Iran’s oil sales, major economic and security crises, rising unemployment, and escalating social unrest in the country. One of the points highlighted in this letter was food security.
Despite extensive propaganda and efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat—one of the very causes of water shortages in the country—the Iranian regime still relies on imports of grains, livestock feed, and some agricultural products.
Problems with certain products have emerged in the past six months. For example, there was a potato and legume crisis in March.
