Iran is nearing “water bankruptcy,” according to a leading Middle East security analyst, who warns that the nation’s severity of water shortage could undermine both its political stability and nuclear ambitions.
The country has seen cumulative storage in its 43 major dams fall to just over 51 percent of capacity, while groundwater levels are plummeting and the United Nations has declared 97 municipalities at “critical” water-security risk. Rising temperatures and record droughts have accelerated water-stress conditions.
As a result, the expert says Iran’s military-industrial complex, including its nuclear program, may have to divert resources toward emergency water infrastructure. That shift could weaken the regime’s deterrence capability and limit its ability to expand its nuclear enterprise.
Government officials confirmed that the water minister has requested an additional 150 trillion rials (approximately $3 billion) this fiscal year to address shortages, but analysts say the allocated funds will only stretch to immediate relief and not long-term structural fixes. The threat of urban unrest looms large, as Tehran and other major cities face failing water supplies during peak demand seasons.