Hamid Reza Janbaz, an assistant to the Iranian Energy Minister said: ” the challenges for provision and distribution of water is to so high that everyone should be get involve to manage it.”
“The country is in difficult stage of facing water shortages.”
In past two weeks there has been protests in a number of cities over the water shortages.
Fearing the water crisis triggers street protests across the country, the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered officials earlier this month to find a solution to the regime’s acute water shortage.
Khamenei’s military advisor Rahim Safavi said plans were underway to exchange water and oil with Tajikestan, adding: “The crisis of water and energy is closely related to national security and defense.”
A UN resident coordinator for Iran was recently quoted by Reuters as saying: “Water scarcity poses the most severe human security challenge in Iran today.”
And the regime’s energy Minister said in parliament: “We are in the stage of water crisis and our acute situation will become more acute.”
An energy ministry official added: “Currently out of some 1,200 cities in Iran, only 500 can provide enough for normal consumption, and with a drought and the summer heat special attention is needed.”
The director of Tehran’s Water and Wastewater said on August 14 that there is only enough water in Tehran’s dams to last one month.
Five of the six existing dams in North Khorasan Province have now totally dried up and there is the possibility of water cuts in several cities in the province.
The situation of Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces is reportedly even more acute.
The average rainfall in Tehran is approximately 149mm a year, but 90 percent of it is lost due to mismanagement.
Other factors such as the excessive damming of rivers, bad irrigation practices, drought and climate change have all contributed to Iran’s water crisis which is now considered to be a national security issue.