Iran's record drought and cheap fuel have sparked an air pollution crisis - but the real causes run much deeper

[littlemissmartypants]

Published: December 4, 2025 12:10pm EST
Sanam Mahoozi, City St George's, University of London, Nima Shokri, United Nations University, Salome M. S. Shokri-Kuehni, United Nations University, Technical University of Hamburg

Air pollution is the latest environmental crisis causing havoc across Iran. Large parts of the country are already suffering from a drought, one of the worst in decades. Its wetlands are dry, and its land is subsiding at alarming rates.

Now the fallout is also affecting the air that the country’s more than 85 million people breathe. As lakes, wetlands, and riverbeds dry out, their exposed surfaces turn into major sources of dust. Strong winds can lift this dust and transport it across cities and even distant regions.

The extremely dry conditions have worsened Iran’s already high levels of air pollution. In recent weeks, the capital Tehran was ranked as the most polluted city in the world, according to global air quality monitors. In November, its air quality index hit 200 – a level classified as “very unhealthy”.

The terrible air quality has forced authorities to close schools, universities and offices to reduce exposure. Hospitals are reporting rising numbers of cases of respiratory and cardiac complications across the country.
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https://theconversation.com/irans-record-drought-and-cheap-fuel-have-sparked-an-air-pollution-crisis-but-the-real-causes-run-much-deeper-270923

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Air pollution affects more than the obvious respiratory system.

It also adversely affects the cardiovascular system.

These people are going to die one way or the other.