Authorities in Iran have begun spraying clouds with chemical substances in an effort to trigger rainfall as the country faces its most severe drought in many decades. The technique, commonly known as cloud seeding, was carried out over the Urmia lake basin on Saturday according to reports from Irna, the official news agency of Iran. The move is part of a broader strategy by Iran to address the worsening water crisis that has already affected millions of people. Urmia lake, once considered the largest lake in Iran, has drastically shrunk in recent years. Much of its former surface has turned into an enormous salt bed, altering the local climate and threatening surrounding ecosystems. Iranian officials confirmed that additional cloud seeding missions are planned for both East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan as the crisis deepens across the region. Rainfall levels in Iran have dropped to unprecedented lows, and many of the country’s key reservoirs are now nearly empty. President Masoud Pezeshkian recently warned citizens that if sufficient rainfall does not arrive soon, Iran may be forced to impose strict water rationing in Tehran.
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In a more alarming scenario, the president stated that some residents might even need to relocate temporarily if the water supply becomes unstable. Cloud seeding involves releasing substances such as silver iodide or potassium iodide into clouds using aircraft or ground based generators. These compounds allow water vapor to condense more quickly, increasing the chances of forming rain. Although the method is not new, Iran is turning to it more aggressively as climate conditions worsen. Countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, have also relied on cloud seeding to manage their growing water shortages. According to Iran’s meteorological organization, the country has experienced an eighty nine percent reduction in rainfall this year when compared with long term averages. Officials described this autumn as the driest season Iran has seen in the past fifty years.
The prolonged lack of rain has heightened concerns among water experts who are urging immediate conservation measures. Government authorities in Iran have also announced plans to introduce penalties for homes and businesses that consume more water than allowed. Ahmad Vazifeh, the head of Iran’s National Centre for Climate and Drought Crisis Management, reported that the situation is especially serious in areas supplied by dams located in Tehran, West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, and Markazi. Water levels in several major reservoirs have dropped into the single digit range, raising fears of widespread shortages. In response to the escalating crisis, hundreds of people gathered at a mosque in Tehran on Friday to pray for rainfall. Many Iranians view the current drought as one of the greatest environmental challenges the country has ever faced. Meteorologists reported that some parts of western and northwestern Iran did receive rainfall on Saturday. Video footage even showed early season snowfall at a ski resort situated north of Tehran, offering a brief moment of relief and hope.
source:BBC
