Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has sounded the alarm over a “serious” water crisis affecting several regions of the country, including the capital Tehran, amid sharply reduced rainfall and dwindling dam reserves.

Speaking on Sunday at a meeting with senior media directors, Pezeshkian outlined measures his administration is taking to ease the crisis, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. He said round-the-clock efforts are underway to transfer water from the Taleqan Dam to Tehran to sustain supply through autumn. However, he cautioned that the move may not be enough, as precipitation in the province has dropped by 45 percent compared to last year, Xinhua reported.

Official data shows that Iran’s dams currently hold only 42 percent of their total capacity. Since the start of the current water year on September 22, 2024, only 23.56 billion cubic meters (bcm) of water have entered the dams — a 42 percent decline from the 40.55 bcm recorded during the same period last year, state-run IRIB news agency said.

On Saturday, Mohammad-Taqi Hosseinzaden, CEO of Tehran Water and Wastewater Company’s district 5, warned that the capital’s dam reserves would last only until late September without significant conservation efforts. He urged residents to manage their consumption carefully.

Iran Water Resources Management has attributed the shortages to an “unprecedented” drought since the start of the water year. Authorities have introduced temporary measures, including office closures and reduced working hours in affected cities, to curb demand.

The deepening water crisis poses significant risks for agriculture, urban supply, and public health, with officials warning that without long-term solutions, shortages could worsen in the coming months.