Farmers in Iran Hold Protests Over Water Scarcity

In central Iran, thousands of farmers are staging large-scale protests against water scarcity due to drought. They are demanding that authorities open the dam and provide water.

Farmers in Isfahan began their protests on November 8, expressing frustration over the cessation of water supply and the drying up of the Zayandehrud River. Thousands of farmers gathered on the dry riverbed of the Zayandehrud to participate in a major march near the Haji Bridge.

The issue of water distribution in Isfahan has led to mass protests among farmers from various regions in recent years. The Zayandehrud River, which spans more than 400 km, has transformed into a “seasonal river” due to a lack of precipitation, drought, and overpopulation in the region over the past decades. Since 1999, the amount of precipitation in Iran has been declining each year.