Tehran Residents Pray for Rain Amid Severe Drought

On Friday, thousands of people gathered at a mosque in northern Tehran to pray for rain. The prayer came after Iran experienced one of the worst droughts in decades, prompting residents to appeal to God for relief.

Local officials report that rainfall in the capital this year has dropped to its lowest level in a century, and half of Iran’s provinces have seen no significant rainfall for several months.

On Saturday, 15 November, Geo News reported that facing a water crisis, the government decided to implement rotational water supply cuts for Tehran’s population of 10 million to limit water usage.

On Friday, men and women gathered together at Imamzadeh Saleh Mosque in Tehran’s capital to perform special prayers for rain.

Typically at this time of year, the snow-covered mountains surrounding Tehran are dry.

According to local media, Tehran is Iran’s largest city, and its residents consume around three million cubic meters of water daily.

Last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that if rainfall does not occur before winter, the city’s residents might need to be relocated, though he did not explain the exact reasons. Later, the government clarified that Pezeshkian’s warning was meant to alert citizens about the seriousness of the situation.

Meanwhile, among the five main dams supplying drinking water to the capital, one is completely empty and another holds less than 8% of its capacity, officials said.

The situation across the rest of the country is also grim. Local media reported that this year, total rainfall in Iran reached only 152 millimeters, 40% below the 57-year average.