Iranian regime media have reported that according to the decisions of the water sector in the “Seventh Development Plan” in the Agriculture Commission of the regime’s Majlis (parliament), “water transfer projects” have been excluded from “environmental assessment.”
According to the Didbaniran website, water transfer projects no longer require approval from relevant authorities such as the Environmental Protection Organization or the Organization of Cultural Heritage. As a result, these projects only need to obtain “technical approvals” and approval from the Supreme Water Council.
Therefore, according to this report, most of the current “water transfer” projects, which are labeled as “drinking water supply,” have been met with objections from the public and environmental activists, who believe that these projects are actually intended for “industrial and agricultural water supply.”
Meanwhile, Ahmad Vazifeh, the head of the National Center for Climate and Drought Management of the Meteorological Organization of the regime, announced on July 26 that there is a “drinking water supply crisis” in all regions of the country and told the “Ecoiran” website that the water situation is “very critical” in the eastern half and some parts of the northern regions.
He emphasized that the drinking water supply situation in most areas of the country, especially in metropolises, has become a “problematic issue,” and in the case of continued low precipitation in some cities, including Mashhad, “supplying drinking water will not be possible.”
On the other hand, Tajarat News website also reported on July 28 that based on “official statistics,” “16 large dams” in Iran have “less than 50 percent” of their water capacity, the reservoirs of dams in Golestan province have been declared “zero,” and the Roodbal Dam in Fars province has only “two million cubic meters” of water.
The crisis of “water scarcity” has intensified in recent months, to the extent that repeated power and water outages in various urban, industrial, and agricultural areas have posed problems for the lives of citizens and disrupted some services.
Despite these serious and vital challenges for Iranian citizens, improper water management, clandestine dam construction, and unauthorized extraction from underground resources continue. Currently, the environmental assessment and obtaining the required permits have been excluded from the necessary measures for carrying out water transfer projects.
On August 10, Emtedad News wrote in an article referring to the drying of wetlands, lakes, and plains in Iran: “Currently, the annual extraction of groundwater resources through wells has increased from 9 billion cubic meters to 47 billion cubic meters, and the number of wells has increased 16 times, while the extraction volume has increased 5 times.”
Iran is facing one of the most critical challenges in its modern history – a looming water crisis that threatens the very existence of its land. Over the past four decades, the clerical regime has implemented policies that have led to severe mismanagement of water resources, resulting in a significant depletion of surface and underground water reservoirs. As the world experiences the hottest summer on record in 2023, scientists’ warnings about the escalating global warming have become even more pressing. The question remains: Is contemporary humanity ready to face this unforeseen and daunting guest? For the people under the oppressive rule of the religious fascism in Iran, the answer is bitter and tragic.
The devastating consequences of the regime’s mismanagement and negligence have led to a catastrophic depletion of water resources.
