TEHRAN (Iran News) Speaking at a high-level meeting between the Minister of Energy Abbas Aliabadi and media executives, Bozorgzadeh emphasized that the volume of Iran’s agricultural economy could increase by 1.7 times with a 2.5% growth rate, while the industrial and service sectors are projected to grow 2.2 and 2.6 times respectively, provided the strategic plan is effectively pursued.

Bozorgzadeh highlighted the alarming decrease in water availability over the past 60–70 years. Per capita water availability has fallen from 130 million cubic meters to 103 million cubic meters, with the average national per capita volume now at 1,200 cubic meters—a sharp decline from approximately 7,000 cubic meters in 1956. This figure places Iran below the international water stress threshold of 1,700 cubic meters per person per year.

“Even in a normal hydrological year, we remain under water stress due to long-term declines in water resources,” he stated, citing uneven distribution of water across regions. For instance, central plateau regions are facing extreme shortages, with per capita availability around just 600 cubic meters.

Bozorgzadeh blamed outdated development models, especially over the past seven decades, for Iran’s worsening water crisis. “This issue is not just within the Ministry of Energy’s domain—multiple institutions, from agriculture to municipalities, and even Parliament, share responsibility for the unsustainable development patterns,” he noted.

Currently, 70% of Iran’s plains are classified as “forbidden” or “critically forbidden” for water extraction, and 359 out of 609 plains are experiencing land subsidence. “This is a national threat—it’s endangering homes and infrastructure,” Bozorgzadeh warned.

He stressed that solving the crisis requires a “heart surgery” approach rather than quick fixes, calling for stronger public engagement, policy reform, and a cultural shift toward conservation.

Bozorgzadeh revealed that Iran is now in its fifth consecutive drought year. As of April 12, only 131 millimeters of rainfall had been recorded—35% less than the previous year and well below the expected 203 millimeters. He warned that spring rains would not make up for winter shortfalls, and snow levels, which are crucial for long-term water supply, also remain low.

Dam inflows have also dropped compared to last year, although authorities are attempting to manage releases efficiently. However, over 80% of decisions on water usage are made by central government institutions, while Bozorgzadeh advocated for more localized and community-driven governance.

“The imbalance between water consumption and available resources remains a major concern,” Bozorgzadeh said. He explained that 86% of Iran’s water is used in agriculture, much of which is low-efficiency subsistence farming on plots smaller than five hectares—making them difficult to mechanize.

To address this imbalance, the Ministry of Energy is focusing on increasing water supply while reducing demand. Key policies include 13 measures for water provision, 22 for demand management, three for resource protection, two for risk mitigation, and nine for institutional reform.

Bozorgzadeh unveiled a strategic operational plan featuring 49 initiatives, including distinguishing between greywater and blackwater in building codes, and strengthening participatory water basin management. Legislative backing is critical, he stressed.

The plan aligns with Iran’s Seventh Development Plan and the National Document on Knowledge-Based Food Security, which prioritizes eliminating low-efficiency agriculture and tripling environmental water allocations for ecosystem stability.

Bozorgzadeh concluded by announcing the launch of a national “Water Festival” aimed at promoting water conservation through art and culture. The event seeks to inspire public creativity, broaden perspectives, and encourage collective responsibility for Iran’s water resources.

“This is not just a technical issue. We need a cultural movement to appreciate and protect water,” he said.

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In a new report, the World Bank said 99.83% of Iranian people in urban areas and 82% in rural areas have access to drinking water, while those figures stood at 85.7 and 59.6 percent in the world and 83.2 and 69.5 percent in West Asian countries.

Iran’s localization and production of 80% of the equipment needed for water treatment plants, localization and production of 65% of the equipment needed for sewage treatment plants, localization and production of 90% of the equipment needed for water and sewage networks, water supply of about 100% of the urban population, which is higher than the global average, are among other indicators in the country’s water industry, said the report.

The achievement was attributed to substantial changes the Islamic Republic has made in its water industry, such as adopting new approaches to water resources management and development of water infrastructure and facilities.

The changes included the creation of a suitable and collaborative mechanism for managing watersheds, improving water productivity, reappropriation of water, bulk delivery of agricultural water, installing gauging tools and prevention of overharvesting and unauthorized withdrawal of water.

Construction of dams and irrigation and drainage networks, urban and rural water supply, and creation of sewage facilities and water stress management were also regarded as Iran’s new approaches to its water industry.

Meanwhile Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian said that Iran has a privileged position in accessing drinking water in urban and rural areas both globally and regionally.

“According to a recently published report, Iran’s access to drinking water is 99.83 percent in urban areas, and it is more than 82 percent in rural areas,” he said.

Referring to the published report on the status of access to drinking water supply in urban and rural areas in different countries by the World Bank, Mehrabian said on Saturday that Iran has a privileged position in accessing drinking water in urban and rural areas both globally and regionally.

The average access to drinking water in the world is 85 percent in urban areas and it is 59 percent in rural areas, he said, adding that the average access to drinking water in West Asia is 83 percent in urban areas and it is 69 percent in rural areas.

Pointing to the importance of the published report from two perspectives, Mehrabian underlined that the report shows that Iran is among the countries that supply drinking water in urban areas. “Also, it has a good ranking among the countries in providing water in rural area.”

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Advisor to Energy Minister on international affairs Mr. Mohammad Ali Farahnakian on Tuesday and in the educational seminar on managing water resources in Japan which was held with collaboration of Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME) and in presence of  Ambassador of Japan to Tehran Kazutoshi Aikawa highlighted major performance of Ira in water management.

Addressing the seminar, Farahnakian welcomed developing cooperation between Iran and Japan in the water and electricity industry and said that it is required to increase the role and limited share of water in the national gross domestic through education and international cooperation. He added that sharing knowhow and experience between the countries is the base of any development.

He went on to say that in the field of water one of the events which happened last year was the International Conference on International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” which was held in Dushanbe the capital of Tajikistan, where high-ranking officials of different countries as well as Iran’s energy minister took part to review problems related to water in the world and finding ways for sustainable water supply.

Farahnakian then pointed to the water crisis in the world and said that countries which are in the arid and semi-arid region of the world should have favorable management for their water supply and consumption.

He then noted that during the current government in Iran, some 10,000 villages have joined the national sustainable water supply network and expressed that with implementing the new water supply project, almost 90% of villages which are deprived of access to sustainable and drinking water will have access to water.

Meanwhile Ambassador of Japan Mr. Aikawa said that evaluation of integration of dams and related installations as well as managing the quality of water with using advanced technologies are of the important issues which should be faced.

He added that to tackle such challenges in Iran. JCCME has held several seminars in the Middle East in this field as it has helped Iran to resolve related problems.

Aikawa added that according to the experience, these seminars will lead to better performance and increasing efficiency of installations and equipment.

This seminar is held through cooperation of JCCME and Iran Water Resources Management Company. The seminar will wrap up today. These seminars are aimed at reinforcing cooperation and exchange of experience and knowledge between Iran and Japan in the field of water resources management.

The objective of JCCME is to contribute to the promotion of Japan’s cooperation in the areas of trade and investment in furtherance of industrial and economic development in the MENA region. JCCME is active in 22 countries from Western Asia to North Africa.

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During his visit to the 18th Exhibition on Water and Wastewater, Yun expressed hope the cooperation between Iran and South Korea in the water industry and related technology would be reinforced, adding that today no country is immune regarding water shortage or tension, and in some countries the problem emerges as water shortage and draught and in some other countries it happens in the form of floods and overflow of rivers.

He pointed to the problems related to the water shortage in South Korea, stressing that in this problem Iran in comparison to other countries has faced lower problems, noting that water resources management in South Korea is done with more care.

Yun went on to say that the issue of water resources is a vast issue and it includes from management of natural precipitation like water and snow to wastewater and surface waters, water desalination, wastewater treatment systems and electricity production.

He added that many fields are under impact of water resources management, adding that accordingly, Iran and South Korea have capacities and vast fields for creating cooperation in the water resources management.

Yun then pointed to the resources management consumption in South Korea and added that the issue of water resources management is very important and it needs whopping investment in this field for creating required infrastructures and this multiplies the importance of interference in the water resources management by the governments.

He said that he visited the exhibition to get more information in the field of water resources management and the related technologies and emphasized that considering the current condition in the field of water in the world even one drop of water should not be wasted.

Yun emphasized using modern technologies for water resources management and notified that conventional technologies have lost their efficiency to much extent and for this reason South Korea enjoys capabilities of the knowledge-based companies for the water resources management and these centers are concentrated on new technologies and there are huge capacities for cooperation between Ira and South Korea in this field.

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During recent years, challenges caused by prolonged and continuous droughts in Sistan-Baluchestan from water reduction in the north to severe decline of groundwater resources in the central and south, have affected the entire province, including in the Chabahar Area. Providing clean water supply infrastructure is a priority for the region and essential to the COVID-19 socio-economic recovery efforts.

The project will provide sustainable and clean water and energy solutions, including water-efficient agricultural management practices for sustainable livelihoods. In a signing ceremony held on September 6 at the Embassy of Japan, Japanese Ambassador to Iran, Kazutoshi Aikawa, and The United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Iran, Claudio Providas, signed a project document entitled “Strengthening the resilience of vulnerable local communities against water shortage thorough provision of desalination system and effective use of water in agriculture in Chabahar Area.”

The project will be implemented jointly and in close collaboration with the ministries of interior, agriculture, and Sistan- Baluchestan Governorship in the target area for a duration of three years.

The project will provide sustainable and clean water and energy solutions, including water-efficient agricultural management practices for sustainable livelihoods in target communities. Improved access to clean water and energy can reverse current migration trends in the province and can facilitate the creation of employment and self-employment opportunities.

“There are opportunities that can significantly impact the socio-economic development in Chabahar Area. This can be achieved through the development of renewable energies, the introduction of innovative water-efficient and climate-smart agricultural practices and technology as well as promotion of sustainable livelihoods,” said Claudio Providas.

He added: “Japan is a longstanding partner of UNDP in Iran, and we are grateful to the People and Government of Japan for this generous contribution.”

“In the field of sustainable agricultural practices and biodiversity conservation, Japan has been continuously supporting UNDP’s project via local community participation since 2014 and I do believe that the knowledge and experiences gathered through all these years will be useful for the successful implementation of this new project,” the Japanese envoy said.

UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of Iran in the implementation of projects aimed at building resilience and betterment of local communities’ livelihoods based on sustainable solutions in the areas of agriculture, water resources management, and renewable energies.

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Iran’s Spokesman for the water industry Firouz Ghasemzadeh referred to the recent state visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying that the promises have been made by the Turkish side to form technical committees to solve water Issues.

Gahssemzadeh further called the atmosphere between Iran and Turkey on water cooperation positively.

Earlier, Firouz Ghasemzadeh emphasized that the only agreement Iran signed with Turkey in the past years regarding the water share of the Aras River and The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) is related to one of the tributaries of the Aras River, which includes a small water share.

He then pointed to recent floods in the country which increased the water inputs of dams, adding that it has increased by some 260m cubic meters.

He said that usually monsoons in Iran hits south or southeast of the country but this year it has reached even Alborz Province and this unexpected rains have led to deadly floods.

Ghasemzadeh went on to say that the amount of rainfalls has been good in a way that water inputs of dams has increased by 260m cubic meters but in the upcoming months this amount can be calculated correctly.

He also refuted reports on pollution of drinking water system and said that no dam has been damaged amid the floods and by the way drinking water systems have not been damaged.

He went on to say that energy ministry has plans to manage water consumption by using different solutions like increasing the price of water for overconsumption.

Ghasemzadeh also said that talks with Afghanistan on Iran’s share of water will soon be held, adding that some 820m cubic meters of water should enter Iran during the wet year time and this figure will decrease in drought time but this year Afghanistan has released only 4m cubic meters of water towards Iran.

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According to Firouz Ghasemzadeh, the director-general of the Energy Ministry’s water information and data office, the total volume of water inflow to the country’s dams since the beginning of the current water year is reported to be 28.15 billion cubic meters, which shows an increase of four percent compared to the same period last year.

Ghasemzadeh called on people to follow standard consumption management patterns and help the government in handling the country’s current water crisis.

Iran’s total dam reservoirs currently stand at 50.5 billion cubic meters, according to the Energy Ministry data.

Out of a total of 183 currently operational dams across Iran, 52 are related to the Caspian Sea catchment area, 12 are based in the Urmia basin, 68 dams are located in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman watersheds, 34 dams are in the Central Plateau, 11 dams are in Sarakhs catchment basin, and another six dams are located across the eastern boundary basin (Hamoun).

A recent report by Nature Scientific Journal on Iran’s water crisis indicates that from 2002 to 2015, over 74 billion cubic meters have been extracted from aquifers, which is unprecedented and its revival takes thousands of years along with urgent action.

Three Iranian scientists studied 30 basins in the country and realized that the rate of aquifer depletion over a 14-year period has been about 74 billion cubic meters, which is recently published in Nature Scientific Journal.

Also, over-harvesting in 77 percent of Iran has led to more land subsidence and soil salinity.

According to Ghasemzadeh’s remarks, the country is now facing water crisis and drought.

If a country has more than 1,700 cubic meters of water per person per year, there is no water shortage, but the upward trend of rainfall shortage surpassed the standard rate and if it declines more, we are one step away from a water crisis.

Drought, low rainfall, and then water shortage is the problem of many countries, especially Iran, which is also located in an arid region.

In fact, entering a water crisis is an index that is measured based on the amount of water available per cubic meter per person per year, according to this index, if a country has more than 1,700 cubic meters of water per person per year, there is no problem with water resources.

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Drought, low rainfall, and then water shortage is the problem of many countries, especially Iran, which is also located in an arid region.

Since ancient times, Iran has been constantly struggling with water shortage, which caused the creation of qanats, so that people actually accepted that water is scarce in the country.

But for several years, along with the industrial and agricultural development, it seems that the available water resources have been used unbridled, and the result is being on the verge of a water crisis.

In fact, entering a water crisis is an index that is measured based on the amount of water available per cubic meter per person per year, according to this index, if a country has more than 1,700 cubic meters of water per person per year, there is no problem with water resources.

However, if this amount goes below 1,000 cubic meters per person per year, we will enter a water crisis from water stress.

Of course, parts of the country are struggling with a water crisis, but we have not yet reached that stage in the country as a whole.

Now the country is in a position where, due to extreme and climatic conditions, the average rainfall is lower than the similar long-term average, Director of Water and Wastewater Research Center Abbas Akbarzadeh said.

“In the best case, it should be expected that the country will return to the long-term average rainfall, in fact, for hundreds and thousands of years, the average rainfall in the country was 250 mm per year, which has now decreased to about 200 mm per year and is still decreasing.

Forecasts show that rainfall will continue to decrease until 2050. Therefore, if the country receives a short period of rain, people should not think that the situation has returned to normal,” he explained.

In 1920, Iran had about 17,000 cubic meters of water per person, which listed the country among those with rich water resources. Of course, we should note that the population in the country was smaller than now. After that, we experienced the trend of population increase and decrease in rainfall, so that after a few decades, the country experienced water stress.

The predictions of some international forums show that Iran will reach 500 cubic meters of water per capita in 2050, which will be disastrous. But with new technologies, the above problem can be managed and solved, if the necessary plans are implemented and new and technological ideas are used, he said.

One of the solutions is optimizing water consumption in agriculture. The rate that the World Bank has estimated for this sector in order to deal with the water shortage crisis in the MENA region, i.e. North Africa and the Middle East region, is about 40 percent, in other words, if modern irrigation systems are used in agriculture, we can save up to 40 percent of the water consumed in the agricultural sector.

Iran experiences frequent droughts and faces the prospect of more extreme conditions brought about by climate change.

Of course, reaching this number is quite practical, with the development of modern irrigation systems, the expansion of greenhouse farming, and the change of the cultivation pattern.

The next issue in the water management sector is the development and optimization of conventional methods such as water treatment plants, which can be used to reduce water loss or reduce evaporation in the process.

4.8m people at medium to high risk 

The amount of rainfall in Iran’s main river basins from September 2020 to July 2021 was, in most places, substantially lower compared with the year-earlier period. Iran experiences frequent droughts and faces the prospect of more extreme conditions brought about by climate change.

According to current assessments, parts of Iran are facing a rainfall anomaly which has had an observed impact on vegetation and agriculture. Of particular concern is that these drought impacts have been observed in northeastern Iran in areas bordering Afghanistan.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society estimates that 4.8 million people are at medium to high risk of drought-related impacts, mostly in remote and rural areas of the provinces.

It reports that 29 of 31 provinces, and especially seven – South Khorasan, Kerman, Sistan-Baluchestan, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Isfahan, and Khorasan Razavi – have been severely affected by the drought. The lack of safe and sufficient water supply for drinking, hygiene, agriculture, animal husbandry, and electrical power is having a devastating and increasingly unsustainable strain on households’ health, and income in addition to encouraging negative social trends and coping mechanisms.

Drought has so far incurred a loss of 28 trillion rials (about $107 million) to the environment, Hassan Akbari, deputy head of natural environment and biodiversity of the Department of Environment, has said.

Unfortunately, over 70 percent of the country is suffering from severe drought. The severity of the drought is devastating in areas such as the Zagros, which is both a source of water and natural habitats, he lamented.

Droughts may affect three-quarters of the world by 2050

The United Nations has warned that droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050.

Droughts are among the greatest threats to sustainable development, especially in developing countries, but increasingly so in developed nations too.

The number and duration of droughts have increased by 29 percent since 2000, as compared to the two previous decades (WMO 2021). When more than 2.3 billion people already face water stress, this is a huge problem. More and more of us will be living in areas with extreme water shortages, including an estimated one in four children by 2040 (UNICEF). No country is immune to drought (UN-Water 2021).

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