Armenia Faces Limitations in Water Supply to Iran

Against the backdrop of a worsening water crisis in Tehran, Armenia is virtually unable to support Iran. This was noted in an interview with water sector expert Kamo Agababyan, who emphasized that the idea of transferring large volumes of water is practically unrealistic.

The prolonged drought has led to serious issues with drinking and irrigation water in several regions of Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that if there are no rains by the end of November, evacuations may begin in the capital.

According to Agababyan, Armenia's water resources are insufficient for such volume transfers, and the technical aspects make the issue nearly unfeasible. “Especially for a populous city like Tehran, it is simply impossible. At best, small-scale assistance can be provided in border areas, but this will only be episodic,” he stated.

The expert recalled that about ten years ago, the option of transferring 1,000 liters per second of water from Armenia's Shaki springs to Iran was studied, but the project was deemed too costly. Long pipelines passing through mountain passes would not only require substantial financing but also pose safety concerns regarding water quality.

Agababyan believes that Iran will have to face water crisis situations more frequently, with the most effective solution being the desalination of seawater. He pointed out that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have long been using this technology, supplying desalinated water over hundreds of kilometers.

However, desalination is an expensive process in itself. In Saudi Arabia, the cost of 1 cubic meter of desalinated water is about $1.5, while with Japanese technologies, it is around $0.5. Additionally, transportation costs further increase the price of water.

Iran has limited water resources, relying on natural sources and deep wells. Currently, 70 percent of the water consumed in Tehran comes from reservoirs, which are nearly dry. According to data from the Tehran province water supply service, the reserves of the Amir Kabir reservoir that supplies the capital will last for only two weeks.