Iran short of water

Water and its control have been central to Persian, and now Iranian, culture and identity.

In the pre-Islamic era, Persians were known for their creation of magnificent gardens, symbolic of Paradise on Earth according to Zoroastrian beliefs. Some 2,500 years ago, Herodotus was in awe of the qanats, an incredible system of underground aqueducts that allowed even the most arid lands to be cultivated by capturing underground water.

But today, what poet could find words to describe the disaster Iran now faces? Instead, we turn to the words of a politician, Isa Kalantari, former Minister of Agriculture and now responsible for environmental matters in President Rouhani’s government. He warns that “Iran, with its 7,000-year history, will no longer be livable in 20 years if the rapid and exponential destruction of its water resources continues,” and that “water scarcity is a greater threat to Iran than the nuclear crisis, Israel, or the United States.”

To understand the origins of this crisis, the film follows the 400-kilometer journey of one of the country’s most iconic rivers, the Zayandeh Roud, meaning “the river of life.” From its mouth to its source in the Zagros Mountains, the “roof of Iran,” it passes by the famous bridges of Isfahan and crosses vast agricultural and industrial zones, facing countless diversions, dams, and water withdrawals.

With the insights of Iranians at the forefront of this water struggle, the film reveals the crisis’s many layers—historical, cultural, political, and economic—and its critical stakes for the Middle East. How can the next conflict in the region be prevented from becoming a war over water?