Iran Begins Cloud Seeding as Drought Drains Major Reservoirs.

Iran Begins Cloud Seeding as Drought Drains Major Reservoirs

Iran has begun cloud seeding operations in an urgent attempt to force rain, as the country faces its worst drought in at least half a century, with rainfall down by 89% compared to the long-term average and major reservoirs such as Tehran’s Amirkabir Dam nearing depletion.

Authorities warn that if rain does not fall soon, much of the country may be forced into water rationing or even evacuations.

Cloud-seeding flights have started this week, with the first sorties conducted over the Urmia lake basin in the northwest, where the once-vast lake has largely dried up into a salt bed due to drought.

Further operations are planned across East and West Azerbaijan provinces as water levels at major reservoirs continue to drop below single-digit percentages of capacity.

State meteorological agencies describe this as the driest autumn Iran has experienced in 50 years, and officials note the capital’s rainfall is at its lowest in a century.

If hoped-for rains do not materialize, Iranian authorities have warned that water rationing could become unavoidable, and evacuations from key cities, including Tehran, may be necessary before winter sets in.