Tehran – Record-breaking heat, prolonged drought and chronic energy shortages are disrupting daily life across Iran, forcing millions to adapt to blackouts and unannounced water cuts.
Residents in Tehran and other cities are planning their days around scheduled two-hour electricity outages, while scrambling to store water ahead of unpredictable supply cuts. Iran’s Meteorological Organization reports a 40% drop in rainfall this year, the fifth consecutive year of drought, with just 137mm recorded against a long-term average of 228mm.
The power crisis stems from ageing infrastructure, fuel supply constraints, and decades of underinvestment worsened by international sanctions. Around 85% of Iran’s electricity comes from fossil fuels, with hydropower output falling in summer as drought reduces water levels. Fuel shortages have forced some plants to burn mazut, despite pollution concerns.
The outages are hitting businesses as well as homes. Shops and offices close for hours; small businesses lose stock when refrigeration fails; and remote work is disrupted by the loss of power and internet. “If the power cuts happen at 2, 3 or 4pm, I send everyone home,” said Shahram, a software company manager.
Water governance experts warn that the crisis is rooted in unsustainable consumption, including water-intensive farming and unchecked urban growth, compounded by climate change.
For many, the adjustments have become routine. “Without electricity, there’s no air conditioning to make the heat tolerable,” said Sara, a Tehran resident who checks blackout schedules daily. Others, like Fatemeh, store water and ice to cope with simultaneous power and water cuts.
With no clear solution in sight, analysts say the shortages have shifted from temporary disruptions to a defining feature of modern life in Iran.
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