Latest news with #FatemehMohajerani
Toronto Sun
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Toronto Sun
Heatwave hits water, electricity supplies across much of Iran
Published Jul 22, 2025 • Last updated 4 minutes ago • 2 minute read Tehran residents drink from a public fountain as temperatures in the Iranian capital soar. Photo by - / AFP TEHRAN — A severe heatwave sweeping Iran has disrupted water and electricity supplies in much of the country, with reservoir levels falling to their lowest in a century, state media said Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. 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Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Extreme temperatures, which began on Friday, are expected to ease gradually by Thursday, according to meteorological authorities cited by state television. Government offices in at least 15 of Iran's 31 provinces, including the capital Tehran, have been ordered to close on Wednesday in a bid to conserve water and electricity. The measure come as temperatures in parts of southern and southwestern Iran topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities would extend office closures 'if it deems necessary,' while warning of the 'critical situation' in Tehran regarding water supplies. At least 10 provincial capitals recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius on Monday, including Tehran, the meteorological agency said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The heatwave has been accompanied by drought, with the capital experiencing its lowest rainfall in 60 year, according to the Tehran Provincial Water Supply Company. Water levels in the reservoirs which supply Tehran have fallen to 'their lowest level in a century,' the company said, advising people to use a tank and pump to cope with mains disruption. Tehran provincial governor, Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said the dams are only filled to 14%, adding that the capital is going through its fifth year of drought. 'Crisis' Many residents reported water supply cuts lasting several hours in the past few days. An Iranian taxi driver tries to cool down his engine after his radiator overheated in the soaring temperatures in Tehran. (AFP) Photo by - / AFP 'It's not just the heat — there's also no electricity and no water,' said Ms. Moini, a 52-year-old housewife from Tehran, who only gave her family name. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Our whole lives have basically fallen apart.' President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that 'the water crisis is more serious than people are saying.' Many Iranian newspapers carried photographs of the low reservoir levels on their front pages on Tuesday. In Iran's hottest provincial capital, Ahvaz in Khuzestan in the southwest, residents complained that scheduled power cuts had continued despite temperatures nearing 50C on Monday. In Tehran, drivers were forced to stop to prevent their radiators overheating in temperatures exceeding 40C. According to the Fars news agency, the Tehran Provincial Water Supply Company plans to distribute drinking water in plastic bags if the mains supply cuts continue. While heatwaves are not uncommon in Iran, last July the government ordered banks and public institutions to close amid soaring temperatures. At the time, officials said electricity consumption had reached a record high of over 79,000 megawatts. Sunshine Girls Television Columnists Canada Sunshine Girls
Nahar Net
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Nahar Net
Iran's capital and surrounding province will shut for a day due to heat wave
by Naharnet Newsdesk 22 July 2025, 14:38 Iranian government offices, banks and businesses in the capital province of Tehran will shut down on Wednesday due to an intense heat wave and the need to conserve energy, state-run media reported. With temperatures in the capital exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the government has advised citizens to stay indoors during peak heat hours. IRAN daily on Monday quoted government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani urging residents to take measures to reduce electricity and water consumption. The report said that all governmental offices, banks and businesses in Tehran province will be closed on Wednesday. In July 2024, Iran ordered one-day national holiday due to high temperatures, following a two-day holiday in 2023. Borazjan in southern Bushehr province was the hottest city in the last 24 hours with a maximum temperature of 50 C (122 F).
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First Post
5 hours ago
- Climate
- First Post
Why Iran has been forced to declare a holiday and import water
Iran is boiling with 18 out of 31 provinces across the country including Tehran witnessing extreme temperatures. Much of the country has seen water and electricity supply disrupted. The development comes in the backdrop of water levels in the reservoirs dropping to their lowest levels in nearly 100 years read more A man crosses an intersection on a hot summer day in downtown Tehran, Iran. AP The Islamic Republic is witnessing temperatures soaring across the country. It is importing water to meet the citizens and has been forced to declare a holiday. But what happened? What do we know? And why is this happening? Let's take a closer look What happened? Eighteen out of 31 provinces across the country including Tehran are witnessing extreme temperatures. Temperatures in the southern and northern part of the country have exceeded 50 degrees Celsius. The city of Shabankareh over the weekend recorded a temperature of 52.8 degrees Celsius. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This could be the hottest temperature of the year. Meanwhile, the town of Abadan, which is on Iran's southwestern border, saw a temperature of 51.6 degrees Celsius. Ahwaz, which is near Abadan, saw a temperature of 50.3 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Tehran for the first time this year saw a temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius. Government offices in nearly a dozen provinces including the capital have been urged to conserve water. The heatwave, which began last Friday, is slated to slowly dissipate starting Thursday. Much of the country has seen water and electricity supply disrupted. The development comes in the backdrop of water levels in the reservoirs dropping to their lowest levels in nearly 100 years. Tehran's Provincial Water Supply Company has said that the water levels in reservoirs are at their lowest level in nearly a century. The firm urged residents to cut their water use by 20 per cent. According to a newspaper, Tehran on Sunday saw 'water outages lasting between 12 and 18 hours' in some areas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran is negotiating with several countries including Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to import water. AFP Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani took to X to announce that a holiday has been declared on Wednesday in Tehran province. 'In light of the continued extreme heat and the necessity of conserving water and electricity, Wednesday … has been declared a holiday in Tehran province,' she wrote. Mohajerani urged Iranians to have a 'rest, a short trip, or being with family, of course, while observing safety guidelines and conserving energy'. Iran's Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi on Sunday apologised for the water shortages. Aliabadi last week said Iran is negotiating with several countries including Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to import water. Meanwhile, citizens are suffering. 'I feel the skin is going to burn. [My] shirt gets wet so quickly and I prefer to take shower twice a day at this age amidst severe heat. Thank God, there is no water crisis where I live', one resident of Tehran, who is his 50s, told The Guardian. 'I have heard from people that cutting water supply has resulted in water outages lasting at least 12 hours and more', he added. 'It feels more than 45 degrees Celsius. It is so hot'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We have nine-hour load-shedding daily as the temperature has soared across Iran including my home town,' a man living in Mashhad added. 'The water crisis is one of the biggest issues. Our dams are becoming dry and water reservoirs are depleting so fast.' Why is this happening? Iran has been facing drought-like conditions for the past five years. This, combined with record-low rainfall, has left its dams at the lowest levels in decades. The World Resources Institute ranks Iran at number 14 in the world when it comes to baseline water stress. Experts think a potential 'day zero', when Iran completely runs out of water, could come sooner rather than later. Experts say climate change is making water scarcity worse. Iran has long since battled issues with water and electricity. They also point the finger at authorities, who they are mismanaging and overexploiting resources. This is particularly true of Iran's capital Tehran where groundwater levels have depleted by 12 metres over the past two decades. Tehran has lost an estimated 25 per cent of its water due to mismanagement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Things are so dire that the is even said to be mulling whether to shift the capital to Makhran region in the country's south. Tehran has lost an estimated 25 per cent of its water due to mismanagement. AP Iran's leaders are also worried. 'The water crisis is more serious than what is being talked about,' President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday. Pezeshkian has called for a joint task force comprising government experts and academics to be established to examine the issue. Pezeshkian said Iran will 'face a situation in the future for which no solution can be found' if nothing is done. 'Measures such as transferring water from other places to Tehran will not solve the problem fundamentally,' he added. 'In the water sector, beyond management and planning, we also need to address excessive consumption.' With inputs from agencies
France 24
6 hours ago
- Climate
- France 24
Heatwave hits water, electricity supplies across much of Iran
Extreme temperatures, which began on Friday, are expected to ease gradually by Thursday, according to meteorological authorities cited by state television. Government offices in at least 15 of Iran's 31 provinces, including the capital Tehran, have been ordered to close on Wednesday in a bid to conserve water and electricity. The measure come as temperatures in parts of southern and southwestern Iran topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities would extend office closures "if it deems necessary", while warning of the "critical situation" in Tehran regarding water supplies. At least 10 provincial capitals recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius on Monday, including Tehran, the meteorological agency said. The heatwave has been accompanied by drought, with the capital experiencing its lowest rainfall in 60 year, according to the Tehran Provincial Water Supply Company. Water levels in the reservoirs which supply Tehran have fallen to "their lowest level in a century", the company said, advising people to use a tank and pump to cope with mains disruption. Tehran provincial governor, Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said the dams are only filled to 14 percent, adding that the capital is going through its fifth year of drought. 'Crisis' Many residents reported water supply cuts lasting several hours in the past few days. "It's not just the heat -- there's also no electricity and no water," said Ms. Moini, a 52-year-old housewife from Tehran, who only gave her family name. "Our whole lives have basically fallen apart." President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that "the water crisis is more serious than people are saying". Many Iranian newspapers carried photographs of the low reservoir levels on their front pages on Tuesday. In Iran's hottest provincial capital, Ahvaz in Khuzestan in the southwest, residents complained that scheduled power cuts had continued despite temperatures nearing 50°C on Monday. In Tehran, drivers were forced to stop to prevent their radiators overheating in temperatures exceeding 40°C. According to the Fars news agency, the Tehran Provincial Water Supply Company plans to distribute drinking water in plastic bags if the mains supply cuts continue. While heatwaves are not uncommon in Iran, last July the government ordered banks and public institutions to close amid soaring temperatures. At the time, officials said electricity consumption had reached a record high of over 79,000 megawatts. © 2025 AFP
News18
6 hours ago
- Climate
- News18
52.8°C And Rising: Iran's Deadly Heatwave Sparks 'Irreversible' Water Crisis
Last Updated: Iran faces its hottest week with temperatures above 50°C as authorities urged water conservation and declared emergency holidays. Iranian authorities called on the public to curb water consumption as the country faced its hottest week of the year and a deepening water crisis. With temperatures soaring above 50°C in most parts of the country, officials declared emergency holidays, reduced water supplies in some regions and begun negotiations with neighbouring countries to import water. According to Iran's national meteorological service, the southwestern city of Shabankareh recorded a staggering temperature of 52.8°C- potentially the hottest temperature globally so far this year. Other cities, including Abadan and Ahwaz, also reported extreme highs, while the capital Tehran reached 41°C. The soaring temperatures come amid a prolonged five-year drought that has pushed Iran's water infrastructure to its limits. Hundreds of dams built since the 1950s have seen reduced output further straining water and electricity supplies. Abbas Aliabadi, Iran's minister of energy, said that the government is in talks with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to explore options for importing water. Power cuts have become increasingly frequent due to the heat and depleted water reservoirs needed for hydroelectric energy. Iran government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced a public holiday for Wednesday in Tehran province to help conserve power and water. A Tehran resident told The Guardian that the heat has become physically unbearable. He said, 'I feel the skin is going to burn. My shirt gets wet so quickly and I prefer to take a shower twice a day at this age amidst severe heat. Thank God, there is no water crisis where I live." Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the crisis during a cabinet meeting and issuing a stark warning. He said, as per state media, 'The water crisis is more serious than what is being discussed today and if we do not take urgent action now, we will face a situation in the future for which no remedy can be found. In the water sector, beyond management and planning, we also need to address excessive consumption." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
