Iran has announced for the first time its openness to water imports amidst a severe drought and water scarcity.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by Iran's Minister of Energy, Abbas Aliyebadi, in his speech.
According to the minister, if there is a country in the region "ready to sell water at a reasonable price," Tehran is prepared to purchase water. Aliyebadi stated that Iran is considering all possible options to stabilize its water supply amidst the current crisis.
Iran is experiencing the most severe drought in recent years. In March 2025, President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the drought and excessive demand for water were pushing the country towards a humanitarian catastrophe. By mid-year, the situation reached a critical point: water supply was suspended for up to 48 hours in many districts of the capital, Tehran.
In the summer of 2025, Urmia, the region's largest salt lake, completely dried up. In November, reserves in Tehran's main water reservoir fell to a minimum, and the government admitted that water might only last for a few weeks.
President Pezeshkian had declared on November 8 that if there were no rains, the population of certain parts of the capital might be evacuated.
Against the backdrop of Iran's openness to water imports, it is not excluded that this issue will be raised in the region, including Azerbaijan. However, no statement has been made by official Baku regarding Iran's offer to purchase water to date.
