Iran Deploys Cloud-Seeding Aircraft to Induce Rain in Worst Drought in 50 Years
Iran has begun spraying chemicals into clouds in a desperate attempt to force rainfall, as the country battles what officials describe as its most severe drought in half a century.
State news agency IRNA reported that cloud-seeding operations were carried out on Saturday across the Urmia Lake basin in the country’s northwest. Lake Urmia, once the Middle East’s largest saltwater lake, has shrunk dramatically in recent years, leaving behind a vast expanse of exposed salt flats. Authorities confirmed that further cloud-seeding flights will target the provinces of East and West Azerbaijan in the coming days.
The operations come as Iran faces record-low rainfall and rapidly depleting reservoirs. President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a stark warning last week, cautioning that Tehran may soon be forced to ration water — and in a worst-case scenario, evacuate parts of the capital.
“If rainfall does not pick up in the coming weeks, we will have no choice but to implement emergency measures,” the President told officials, according to IRNA reports.
Cloud seeding, a technique developed in the mid-20th century, involves releasing chemical particles such as silver iodide or potassium iodide into clouds to encourage water vapour to condense and fall as rain. The approach is used in several drought-prone nations, including the United Arab Emirates, although its effectiveness remains debated among scientists.
According to Iran’s meteorological organisation, rainfall has plunged by approximately 89 percent this year compared with long-term averages. “We are currently experiencing the driest autumn the country has experienced in 50 years,” the agency said, describing the situation as “critical” across multiple regions.
Officials have already announced plans to penalise households and businesses that consume excessive water, as supplies continue to dwindle. Ahmad Vazifeh, head of the National Centre for Climate and Drought Crisis Management, warned that major dams in Tehran, West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan and Markazi provinces are now in a “worrying state,” with some reservoirs down to “single-digit percentages”.
Public anxiety over the deepening crisis is also rising. On Friday, hundreds of worshippers gathered at a mosque in Tehran to pray for rain — a traditional response during prolonged dry spells.
There was a glimmer of relief on Saturday, when meteorologists reported scattered rainfall in western and northwestern provinces. Video circulated on local media showed the year’s first snowfall at a ski resort north of Tehran, although officials stressed that isolated precipitation would not be enough to alleviate the wider national crisis.
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Iran Deploys Cloud-Seeding Aircraft to Induce Rain in Worst Drought in 50 Years
