Tehran’s water crisis is a warning for every thirsty city

Future PerfectTehrans water crisis is a warning for every thirsty cityWhy Irans capital is running out of water and why it wont be the last.by Shayna KorolNov 18, 2025, 12:15 PM UTCShareGiftAtta KenareAFP via Shayna Korol is a Future Perfect fellow, Voxs section on making the world a better place. She reports on emerging technology, biosecurity, and human and animal health.Tehran is running out of water.Rationing has begun in Irans capital city, with some of the approximately 10 million residents experiencing nightly pressure cuts between midnight and 5 am. The entire country is in an unprecedented drought, facing its driest and hottest autumn in nearly 60 years. Tehran has received no rain at all since the start of September, and no rainfall is expected for the foreseeable future.The city depends on five major reservoirs for its water supply. One has dried up completely, with another below 8 percent capacity. The managing director of the Tehran Regional Water Authority told state media last week that the Karaj Dam has only two weeks of drinking water left. The drought extends beyond the city, too. The water reserves of Mashhad, the second largest city in the country, have dropped below 3 percent capacity, putting 4 million people at imminent risk.This story was first featured in the Future Perfect newsletter.Sign up here to explore the big, complicated problems the world faces and the most efficient ways to solve them.