Iran’s Escalating Water Crisis Worsened by Neighboring States

Large-scale operations carried out by eastern and western neighboring states to control cross-border rivers have compounded Iran’s mounting water crisis, the head of the Water Affairs Faculty at Shahid Chamran University in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, said.
“Controversial policies pursued by Turkey and Afghanistan, which deplete water supplies in transboundary waters, such as shared aquifers, lakes and river basins, have deteriorated water paucity in Iran,” Mehdi Qomshi was also quoted as saying by ILNA.
According to the official, since a long time, without reaching an understanding with Iran, Turkey has launched dam construction initiatives on transboundary rivers, resulting in a substantial reduction of water level not only in Hour Al-Azim wetlands but also in Arvand River, both located in the southwestern Khuzestan Province.