Iranian government begins creating artificial clouds to induce rain amid drought
Due to the ongoing drought, Iranian authorities have begun creating artificial clouds by dispersing chemical reagents to induce rain.
Cloud creation involves releasing substances such as silver iodide or potassium iodide into clouds using aircraft or ground-based equipment. This process accelerates the condensation of water vapor and leads to rainfall.
According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, the process was carried out on Saturday over the salt lake Urmia.
Urmia is one of Iran’s largest lakes and the second largest after the Caspian Sea. However, years of drought have caused much of it to dry up and turn into a salt flat.
According to the agency, artificial cloud creation will continue in the West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces surrounding the lake (these Iranian provinces border the Republic of Azerbaijan).
Iran's Meteorological Organization reports that this year the country has received 89% less precipitation than the long-term average.
In the capital Tehran, a city of over 9 million people, reservoir levels have dropped below 10%. Authorities do not rule out water rationing, and President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that relocation of residents may be necessary in some areas.
