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Iranians prayed for rain, but were covered in snow
January 29, 2018
A full-blown water crisis is drying out Iran, much to the concern of officials who fear protests and strife if conditions do not improve.
There is talk of rationing water in the capital, Tehran, one of the largest cities in the Middle East, because the usual autumn rains had not come.
Why this is important
Climate-driven drought and aquifer depletion played key roles in the Syrian refugee crisis. Over 160 rural villages had to be abandoned. The displaced people flooded the suburbs of cities like Damascus, which were woefully unprepared for the population surge, especially of unemployed youth. Could this happen in Iran?
