Drought Drives Thousands from Homes Across Middle East

As of October 2025, the Middle East is facing a severe water crisis that is displacing thousands and threatening the region's way of life. In Iraq, an estimated 150,000 people have already been forced to leave their homes due to drought and water shortages, primarily in the central and southern regions. Abu Mohammed, a 62-year-old farmer, was among those who had to abandon his family's orchards as the land dried up.

Across the region, from Tunisia to Iran and Turkey to the Arabian Peninsula, millions are struggling with little to no access to water. Bahrain, the country with the least water resources according to the World Resources Institute, has become heavily reliant on desalination plants to meet its water needs. However, the brine discharged from these plants is damaging the local marine environment, with fishermen reporting discolored water and a decline in fish populations.

Iran is also facing a critical water crisis, with the capital Tehran potentially running out of water as early as this October. Experts warn that decades of misguided agricultural policies, including subsidies for water-intensive crops, have drained the country's soils and depleted its water reserves, forcing thousands of rural families to relocate to the already overburdened capital.