Iran is enduring an extreme heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 50°C, reaching as high as 52.8°C in Shabankareh. The capital, Tehran, has declared a public holiday due to the intense heat and energy strain.

Axar.az, citing The Guadrian, reports that the country is also in the midst of a deepening water crisis, worsened by a five-year drought, low rainfall, and depleting reservoirs, including the crucial Karaj dam.

Water shortages and long power outages are being reported across various cities, with residents like Hussain Hassan in Tehran and Ehsan Ali in Mashhad expressing concern over drying dams and increasing daily load-shedding.

Iran’s government, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, has warned that the crisis is more serious than currently acknowledged and emphasized the need for urgent action and responsible water use. Negotiations to import water from neighboring countries like Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are underway.

Climate experts link the severity of the crisis to human-driven climate change, making such extreme events more likely and intense.