Tehran – Iran's Deputy Agriculture Minister Safdar Niazi warned that climate change now poses the greatest threat to human society, citing a sharp decline in rainfall in recent years as a growing source of national concern.

 

According to Niazi, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Agriculture need to work in full coordination - “like two wings of a bird” - to navigate the escalating water-scarcity crisis.

 

He noted that several shared responsibilities have been outlined for the two ministries and have so far been pursued through constructive cooperation.

 

The deputy minister described the reduction of agricultural water allocations to 51 billion cubic meters as a highly demanding task, adding that even securing this amount has become increasingly difficult under current conditions. “Decreased rainfall, he said, has forced authorities to divert part of the agricultural water share to supply drinking water and, in some cases, industrial needs.”

 

Niazi also faulted water-sector consultants for failing to provide adequate forecasts and forward-looking strategies in earlier years, calling on experts to now step up and support government bodies in managing the crisis more effectively.

 

He added that artificial intelligence has delivered strong results globally in the water sector and urged Iran to harness these technologies to curb water consumption and boost irrigation efficiency.