Iran Energy Minister's Stance on Dams Questioned Following Recent Flooding

Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said dams played a key role in mitigating damage during the recent flooding in the western and southern regions. 
A staunch advocate of dams, Ardakanian added, "Despite the massive destruction caused by the flash floods over the last three weeks, we managed to store large volumes of fresh water."
“If we wanted access to this volume of water, 5 billion cubic meters, by desalinating sea water, it would have cost $2.5 billion. We have 172 large dams that now are 75% full.”
There is no denying the fact that in a country grappling with severe drought for more than a decade, rainfall of this kind is a blessing.