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Prayers for Rain as Iran's Drought Crisis Deepens
16 Nov
Summary
- Cloud seeding operations launched to induce rainfall
- Organized rain prayers held across Iran as water crisis worsens
- Proposal to evacuate Tehran due to severe water shortages
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.
