Winter rain fell on Tehran on Wednesday after the driest autumn in over 50 years, providing temporary relief from a severe water shortage that the country's ruling clerics have led prayers to end but looks set to persist.
Capital residents shared moments of joy as they beheld the showers and expressed hope that the traditional rainy season could provide relief from a crisis that Iran's president has warned may doom the city.
“Even the rain could not defeat the heavy air pollution of Tehran, but for a short amount of time, the beauty of the northern mountains are visible,” a user posted on X.
"I know not everyone is feeling well; but I hope that wherever you are, this short rain has at least warmed our hearts for a moment with the beauty of nature," posted another user.
Iran is in its sixth consecutive year of drought, with reservoirs at historic lows. Tehran's Latyan Dam is at its lowest in six decades, Karaj (Amir Kabir) holds under 10% capacity, and Mashhad's dams are below 3%.
Nationwide, 19-22 major dams are under 15-20% capacity, while groundwater extraction exceeds recharge, causing land subsidence in Tehran and other areas.
The prolonged dry period has pushed reservoir levels across Iran to historic lows. The country’s Karkheh Dam hydroelectric plant was forced to halt power generation last week due to the shrinking water level in its reservoir.
Officials said the dam’s basin has endured years of drought, with water now flowing only through lower outlets to meet downstream needs.
Water specialists quoted by local media say that if current patterns continue, significant parts of Tehran could face severe supply instability within the next decade.
The crisis is mainly due to decades of mismanagement. Agriculture uses 80 to 90 percent of the country's water but with less than 40 percent efficiency.
Too many dams have been built, leaky pipes waste 15 to 30 percent of supply, wastewater recycling stands at only about 20 percent compared to 85 to 98 percent in neighboring countries, and conservation efforts remain weak.
President Masoud Pezeshkian warned in November that without substantial rain, Tehran faces what he called "Day Zero", necessitating water rationing or even partial evacuation of the capital. Nightly pressure cuts, heavy consumer penalties, and unannounced outages are already common; some cities have already begun rationing.
Recent rain offers hope but is insufficient to refill reservoirs or reverse depletion. Iran risks ongoing shortages in drinking water, farming, hydropower and potential unrest, with calls for structural reforms over water management and agriculture growing.
The current strain shows unusual transmissibility and reduced vaccine effectiveness, driving a surge in clinic visits, health ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said. He noted that elderly people, those with underlying conditions and several children were among the dead. Officials expect the wave to continue into January.
Schools shut as infections climb
Rapid spread among students prompted school closures in late November across several provinces. Authorities in Isfahan said the move was driven by rising infections rather than air pollution.
Concern grew further on December 4 after the confirmed death of a 26-year-old man with no pre-existing conditions. He developed 70-percent lung involvement and acute respiratory distress syndrome within 24 hours. Health officials in the southern Hormozgan province described the case as evidence of “intense viral circulation” and aggressive disease even in low-risk groups.
Authorities in the central Yazd province have reported 1,138 positive tests and 13 deaths, mostly among older adults and vulnerable patients.
Pollution amplifies the crisis
The outbreak coincides with severe air pollution in major cities. Specialists say pollutants such as PM2.5 weaken the lungs and suppress immune responses, making people “far more vulnerable” to influenza. Global studies show dirty air can increase hospitalization and mortality from flu by 15 to 30 percent.
Infectious-disease expert Minoo Mohraz warned that influenza is “gradually becoming a pandemic” and could worsen death rates, adding that air pollution has “no immediate solution except staying indoors as much as possible.”
Daily burials in Tehran’s main cemetery have risen from 180 to about 220, Mehdi Babaei of Tehran’s city council said, linking the increase to soaring pollution levels.
