Iran Launches Cloud Seeding Effort to Combat Decades-Long Drought

Iranian authorities have initiated a cloud-seeding operation to induce rain in the country's worst drought in decades. The process, which involves injecting chemical salts into clouds to enhance rainfall, was conducted over the Urmia lake basin on Saturday, according to Iran's official news agency Irna. Urmia, Iran's largest lake, has largely dried out, leaving a vast salt bed. The cloud-seeding operation, which will also be carried out in east and west Azerbaijan, aims to combat the severe drought that has left reservoirs nearly empty and water levels in Tehran's Amirkabir dam at just 8% of capacity, officials said. Last week, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that if sufficient rainfall does not occur soon, Tehran's water supply could be rationed and people may be evacuated from the capital. Iran's meteorological organisation has stated that rainfall has been at record lows, and the cloud-seeding operation is a last-ditch effort to address the crisis. The technique, which has been around for decades, involves injecting chemical salts, such as silver or potassium iodide, into clouds via aircraft or through generators on the ground. This allows water vapour to condense more easily and turn into rain. The use of cloud-seeding to combat water shortages is not new, with the UAE having employed the technique in recent years. However, its effectiveness remains a topic of debate among experts. Some argue that the technique can be an effective tool in addressing droughts, while others question its long-term benefits and potential environmental impacts. Iran's decision to employ cloud-seeding comes as the country faces one of its worst droughts in decades. The drought has had severe consequences, including the drying up of Urmia lake and the depletion of reservoirs. The cloud-seeding operation is seen as a desperate measure to alleviate the crisis, but its success remains uncertain. According to officials, further operations will be carried out in east and west Azerbaijan, with the aim of inducing rain and alleviating the drought. The outcome of the operation will be closely monitored, and its effectiveness will be assessed in the coming weeks. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether cloud-seeding will prove to be a viable solution to Iran's drought crisis.