Prayers for Rain as Iran's Drought Crisis Deepens

As of November 16th, 2025, Iran's ongoing water crisis has reached a critical point, with the rainy season failing to bring the much-needed relief. In the mosques of northern Tehran, imams have been leading prayers for rain, while meteorologists anxiously count down the hours until the forecast rain is expected to arrive.

However, the situation has only worsened, with more than 50 days passing since the start of the rainy season and over 20 provinces still without a single drop of rain. The number of dams with less than 5% of their reservoir capacity has increased from 8 to 32, and the crisis has spread from the central plains to across the entire country.

In a desperate attempt to induce rainfall, the Iranian authorities have launched cloud seeding operations, spraying particles such as silver iodide and salt into the clouds from aircraft. This comes as the capital, Tehran, has only seen 1mm of rain this year, a once-in-a-century event.

Across Iran, organized rain prayers have become a common sight, with people recalling past miracles, such as the spring of 1944 when wartime drought was alleviated after three days of prayer. However, some conservative figures have attributed the crisis to "blatant debauchery" and "sin" on the streets, rather than the effects of the climate crisis.

As the situation grows increasingly dire, the government has been forced to consider drastic measures. The president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has even suggested the possibility of evacuating Tehran by mid-December, a proposal that, while rejected by some, is not entirely dismissed as outlandish by experts.