The Farda Briefing

Welcome back to the Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition, I’m looking at the worsening water crisis in Iran and its implications.

What You Need To Know

• Worsening Water Crisis: Iran is experiencing a deepening water crisis that has forced authorities to impose widespread water cuts, with dam reservoirs across the country dropping to their lowest levels in decades. Drought, mismanagement, and mounting climate challenges are causing major disruptions to daily life for millions.

• US Management of the Zangezur Corridor In The Caucasus: The United States has suggested putting the proposed Zangezur Corridor -- connecting Azerbaijan and its Naxcivan exclave via Armenia -- under American management, triggering alarm in Iran. Experts say Tehran fears the plan would isolate it, weaken its influence, and force reliance on Azerbaijan for trade, risking “geopolitical suffocation.” Armenia insists the link must remain a transit route under its sovereignty, while Azerbaijan opposes any foreign involvement. Analysts describe the US proposal as unworkable and ill-prepared.

• Iran, E3 To Meet In Istanbul: Iran and the E3 (Britain, France, and Germany) are set to meet in Istanbul on July 25 for deputy‑level talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and potential sanctions relief. It will be their first meeting since a June cease-fire that ended a 12‑day conflict between Israel and Iran and followed US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The EU’s deputy foreign policy chief will also attend. European governments have warned they could trigger a UN “snap‑back” of sanctions by the end of August if talks stall, while Iran insists on recognition of its right to enrich uranium and trust‑building steps from Washington before deeper negotiations.

The Big Issue

Is Tehran Becoming Uninhabitable?

Over 40 cities across Iran, including Tehran, are facing routine water rationing and prolonged supply interruptions.

In some areas, households and businesses endure hours-long daily outages as officials scramble to take emergency measures.

The roots of the crisis lie in a mix of prolonged drought and drastically reduced rainfall, soaring temperatures, excessive extraction from aquifers, and years of inefficient management -- especially in agriculture.

While urgent water transfer projects and aggressive conservation campaigns have been launched, the scale of the problem is nationwide, affecting both urban centers and rural communities.

President Masud Pezeshkian has acknowledged the scale of mismanagement that contributed to the crisis, arguing that basic changes are now critical to the nation’s future.

He’s also referenced the worsening water crisis to again broach the subject of moving the country's capital, saying “the continued survival of Tehran as the capital is no longer possible.”

Why It Matters: Iran has entered its fifth consecutive year of drought, with rainfall in several provinces, including Sistan-Baluchistan, Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan, dropping by more than 50 percent.

The prolonged dry spell has severely strained water supplies, with the latest reports indicating that reservoirs feeding Tehran’s dams are now at just 14 percent of their total capacity.

Pezeshkian’s government last year floated an ambitious idea: relocating the nation’s capital to the Makran coast on the shores of the Sea of Oman. He even appointed his campaign chief, Ali Abdolalizadeh, as a special envoy for “maritime economy development.”

However, following widespread criticism, the plan has been quietly shelved. Analysts warn that the Makran region itself remains underdeveloped, with large areas still lacking even basic water pipelines.

What's Being Said: Azam Bahrami, a water and environmental expert based in the Netherlands, says agricultural practices need to change in Iran as part of broader reforms to ensure efficient water use.

She told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that agriculture accounts for up to 90 percent of Iran’s water use.

Water officials say nearly half of Iran’s provinces are now officially water-stressed and that current supplies simply don’t match demand.

Expert Opinion: “The decisive factor is the ruling establishment, because it is the authorities who invest, introduce new technologies, monitor progress, and strengthen society to help it endure climate change and long-term drought,” Bahrami told Radio Farda.

That's all from me for now.

Until next time,

Kian Sharifi

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.

Welcome back to the Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition, I’m looking at why Iranian media are sounding the alarm over growing ties between Azerbaijan and Syria—one closely aligned with Israel, the other no friend of Iran.

What You Need To Know

• Azerbaijan And Syria Joining Forces… Against Iran?: Syrian interim President Ahmad al‑Sharaa’s surprise visit to Baku last weekend has set off alarms in Tehran and sent media from across the political spectrum scrambling to decode what it means for the region, especially Iran.

• Iranian Director Wins Prestigious Festival Prize: Iranian director Soheil Beiraghi’s film Bidad won the Special Jury Award at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, despite nearly landing him in prison. The film, featuring women singing without hijabs, defies Iran’s strict rules on dress and performance. Beiraghi and his team faced sentences in Iran, later commuted to fines. Beiraghi told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that he intends to return to Iran despite the legal threats. Accepting the award, he praised Iranian women’s strength, saying they deserve “appreciation, respect, and a standing ovation.”

• Tehran On Edge As Europe Threatens Return Of UN Sanctions: European powers have warned Tehran that UN sanctions could “snap back” if Iran fails to make verifiable nuclear commitments by the end of August. Ali Vaez, the director of the Iran program at the International Crisis Group, told Radio Farda that the ultimatum by Britain, France, and German is “very serious.” He added that they see the so-called “snapback mechanism” as crucial leverage to force inspections and revive talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has warned that such a move would be treated like “a military attack.” Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, citing June strikes on Iranian facilities, says he’s in “no rush.”

The Big Issue

A New Axis: Azerbaijan, Syria, And Possibly Israel?

Sharaa and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declared that years of stagnation in their relationship were over, blaming ousted Syrian President Bashar al‑Assad’s “unfriendly policy.”

They unveiled a deal to export Azerbaijani gas to Syria through Turkey, hailing it as a step toward alleviating Syria’s long‑running energy crisis.

Iranian media are sounding alarms over what they claim is a growing security threat along their country's northern and western borders.

Why It Matters: For Tehran, the stakes are high.

The possibility of Syrian militant networks shifting northward, coupled with Azerbaijan’s deepening ties to Israel, suggests a new security headache on Iran’s northern frontier.

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian has already pressed Aliyev to explain alleged Israeli drone incursions into Iranian airspace during June’s 12-day war between the two Middle Eastern countries -- accusations Aliyev firmly denied.

But with Baku now forging overt partnerships with Sharaa’s Syria and allegedly hosting back‑channel talks with Israel, Iranian media warn that Tehran could soon face a more coordinated axis of rivals on its doorstep.

Tehran isn’t just watching; it’s concerned and recalibrating.

What's Being Said: Arman‑e Melli, a pro‑reform paper, warned that Syria‑based fighters could be moved through Turkey into Azerbaijani bases -- a “mission,” it wrote, that might aim to “destabilize areas along the borders of Iran and Russia.”

The conservative Farhikhtegan suggested Sharaa is meeting US demands to reduce foreign fighters in Syria by redeploying them to Azerbaijan, potentially turning the country into a “strategic hub” for operations in the Caucasus or even settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In response, Iran’s state-broadcaster-run Jam‑e Jam newspaper charged that meetings between Syrian and Israeli officials in Baku were “clear evidence” some neighbors, specifically Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Israel, are “shaping new dynamics that work against Iran’s interests.”

Expert Opinion: “Indeed a new Middle East: in six months, Syria has transformed from an Iranian vassal state to an independent actor, forging ties and cooperation with Azerbaijan -- a major ally of Israel and rival of Iran,” says Brenda Shaffer, an international energy and foreign policy specialist.

That's all from me for now.

Until next time,

Kian Sharifi

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.