SHOTLIST:

TEHRAN, IRAN (NOV. 11, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF NEARLY-DRIED LAVASAN RIVER WITH LITTLE WATER / DRY RIVERBED AND SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE TEHRAN, IRAN - NOV. 11: The Lavasan River in northeast Tehran has largely dried up as water shortages reach critical levels across Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned on Thursday that the capital, Tehran, could face severe water shortages and may even have to be evacuated if rainfall does not occur soon.

Tehran’s water supply depends on five main dams, Lar, Mamlu, Amir Kabir, Taleqan, and Latyan, with Amir Kabir being the largest. However, Iran has suffered a sharp decline in rainfall over the past five years, and meteorological data show that precipitation in Tehran this year is about 40% below seasonal averages.

The lack of rainfall, particularly in spring and summer, has caused reservoir levels to drop drastically, affecting both surface and groundwater reserves.

The Tehran Water Authority warned on July 20 that the reservoirs supplying the capital had reached their lowest level in a century due to prolonged drought.

Intermittent water cuts have already been implemented during the summer months. On Nov. 3, Behzad Parsa, head of the Tehran Water Authority, said dam reserves could supply the city for only two more weeks if dry conditions persist.

Pezeshkian had previously cautioned on July 23 that if the crisis continued at its current pace without effective measures, providing water to the public would soon become impossible.