Iran has started cloud seeding operations to induce rainfall as the country faces its worst drought in decades, targeting the critically dry Urmia Lake basin first, officials said.
The Urmia Lake region, once Iran’s largest lake, has largely dried up, leaving a vast salt bed, prompting authorities to carry out cloud seeding flights to alleviate the water crisis.
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Further operations are planned in East and West Azerbaijan provinces, where cloud seeding involves spraying particles like silver iodide and salt into clouds to trigger rainfall artificially.
State media reported recent rainfall in western provinces including Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, and Lorestan, as well as northwestern West Azerbaijan, though total precipitation remains drastically below normal levels this year.
The country’s meteorological organisation noted that rainfall has dropped by about 89% compared with long-term averages, marking the driest autumn Iran has experienced in the past 50 years.
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Tehran recorded its lowest rainfall in a century, while reservoirs across half the provinces are at record lows, forcing authorities to warn of potential water evacuations if rains fail before winter.