Dry by Design: Tehran Weaponizes Thirst, floods its People with Lies
Dying of thirst — true dehydration leading to death — is among the most excruciating ways a human being can die. It’s a slow physiological collapse that torments both body and mind. Yet, an untold number of Iranians are coming face to face with this reality right now.
The worst part? While it’s true that Iran is suffering from drought, it also is home to a regime so repressive that it is either exacerbating the problem or intentionally or due to pure incompetence. Based on all the public executions for political dissent, the former is more likely.
Shirin Nariman, former political prisoner in Iran, Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad and Dr. Kazem Kazerounian, as well as NCRI’s Shahin Gobadi and Ali Safavi are available for interviews to discuss this terrifying prospect.
Iran is dying of thirst—literally. From Khuzestan to Isfahan, rivers have dried to dust, lakes have vanished, and entire villages are being abandoned as the mullahs turn a blind eye to a catastrophe of their own making. Millions of Iranians now face a slow, suffocating death by dehydration, even as the regime continues to execute protesters in public squares. The water crisis isn’t a natural disaster—it’s a political weapon. And this Saturday, at the Free Iran Convention in Washington, D.C., leaders of the Iranian Resistance are sounding the alarm: the regime’s deliberate mismanagement of water is killing the people it already persecutes.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is calling out what the regime refuses to admit—that decades of corruption, reckless dam-building, and environmental neglect have turned once-fertile regions into wastelands. The result is not only mass displacement and famine risk, but a public health emergency that could rival the regime’s executions in its death toll. Entire provinces are running out of drinkable water while regime cronies profit from diverting resources to their own private industries and military projects.
As the world focuses on nuclear talks and oil prices, the NCRI warns that the Iranian people are being erased from within. “This is not incompetence—it’s cruelty disguised as bureaucracy,” says an NCRI spokesman. “When you intentionally deprive civilians of the most basic human need, you’ve turned nature itself into a tool of oppression.”
This Saturday’s Free Iran Convention in Washington, D.C., will spotlight this crisis before international lawmakers, policymakers, and human rights advocates. The event is expected to draw major attention to the regime’s weaponization of water scarcity and its escalating campaign of repression. NCRI representatives will present new findings that link water shortages directly to regime policy, including deliberate diversion projects favoring the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and industrial elites loyal to the supreme leader.
For millions of Iranians, the lack of water is no longer an inconvenience—it’s a death sentence. The NCRI’s message to the world is clear: the same regime that hangs its youth is now strangling the land that sustains them. The question is no longer whether Iran can survive drought, but whether the Iranian people can survive their rulers.
Speakers Available:
Shirin Nariman – Former Political Prisoner in Iran
Shahin Gobadi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Other Speakers Available:
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad – Iranian American Scholar and Cybersecurity Executive
Dr. Mohammad H. Tasooji – Professor at California State University, Engineer (Electrical and Economic Systems)
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian – Dean of College of Engineering; expert on Iran’s Nuclear program
Related Article(s)
Iran drought continues, Tehran to evacuate if no rain falls | The Jerusalem Post
Taps could run dry in drought-stricken Tehran | The Week
Optional Q&A
- How severe is the current water crisis in Iran, and which regions are suffering most?
- To what extent is the regime’s mismanagement directly responsible for the shortages?
- Why does the NCRI believe the regime is intentionally worsening the crisis rather than solving it?
- How is the water crisis being used as a political weapon against the Iranian people?
- What role will the Free Iran Convention in Washington, D.C. play in exposing this issue?
- Are there credible links between the IRGC’s industrial projects and diverted water resources?
- How are ordinary Iranians surviving as water scarcity and repression intensify side by side?
- What immediate actions does the NCRI want the international community to take?
Free Iran Convention 2025
Iran on the brink: Roadmap to end theocracy, Plan for the future Iran
The Free Iran Convention 2025 will be held in Washington, D.C., On Saturday, November 15,
The first convention of its kind in DC will bring together more than 1,000 Iranian scholars, activists, professionals, and community leaders to address the prospects of regime change Iran, and the transition from a theocracy to a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic.
This landmark one-day event offers a unique, multi-dimensional perspective on Iranian affairs and the imperative of a viable and effective policy vis-à-vis the Iranian regime.
It will feature Iranian voices from three generations across the United States, joined by prominent American and international dignitaries.
Several victims of the regime and activists who took part in the uprisings in the recent years in Iran will also address the gathering, adding firsthand insight to the discussions.
The convention occurs at a pivotal time. The Iranian regime neither has given up drive to acquire nuclear weapons, nor export of terrorism and investing on proxy groups and has remained a major threat to global peace and security. Meanwhile, momentum for change is rapidly growing inside Iran, as the clerical regime has resorted to an unprecedented wave of executions in an attempt to suppress the mounting call for freedom.
Convention Schedule and Program
9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Washington, DC
By Invitation only,
accredited journalists RSVP:
media@ncrius.org
Expert panels and discussions:
Panel 1: Society Ripe for Change in Iran
Why Change Has Become Inevitable
Panel 2: Iranian Women and the Legacy of Resistance
From Repression to Leadership in Charting the Future
Panel 3: Prospects for Change in Iran, the Plan for Transition
Roadmap for the Overthrow of the Regime, Establishing Democracy
Panel 4: The Power of Youth in Driving Change in Iran
A Defiant Generation Shaping Iran’s Democratic Movement
Panel 5: The Heart of Iran in Revolt
Voices of Courage, Strength, and Hope
Distinguished Dialogue
The Science of Renewal: Building Iran’s Future (dialogue with a distinguished Iranian scholar)
A Scholar’s Vision for Tomorrow
Shaping Iran’s Future: The People’s Choice for Democracy (dialogue with a distinguished Iranian scholar)
International Section
Distinguished American and European dignitaries will address this segment of the program.
ABOUT SHIRIN NARIMAN…
Shirin Nariman is a former political prisoner from Iran, human rights advocate, and entrepreneur.
At just 15 years old, during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she became involved in pro-democracy activities and supported the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Less than two years later, she was arrested for her activism—becoming one of the youngest political prisoners of her time and enduring severe torture in Evin Prison. Her case drew international attention and intervention from the Red Cross.
During her imprisonment, Shirin witnessed the regime’s brutality firsthand, including the executions of children, elderly women, and pregnant prisoners. After her release, she eventually sought refuge in the United States, where she has dedicated her life to advocating for human rights, women’s rights, and a free, democratic, non-nuclear Iran.
Shirin holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and has worked with leading wireless and financial corporations.
ABOUT DR. MOHAMMAD H. TASOOJI…
Dr. Mohammad H. Tasooji, a professor at California State University San Marcos, is an accomplished engineer, educator, and industry leader. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, an M.S. in Engineering Economic Systems from Stanford University, and a Doctorate in Communication Systems from USC. Dr. Tasooji has held senior management roles at leading technology firms, including Qualcomm, Ericsson, Gtran Wireless, and Nokia. He contributes to clean-energy innovation as CEO of Sienza Energy.
ABOUT SHAHIN GOBADI…
Shahin Gobadi, a U.S.-educated nuclear engineer, is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy toward Iran, and internal Iranian affairs.
He has been interviewed by major international media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, BBC, Sky TV, GB News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Gobadi’s writings have appeared in prominent media across the U.S. and Europe.
ABOUT DR. RAMESH SEPEHRRAD…
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad is a leading Iranian-American scholar, published author, cybersecurity executive, and human rights advocate, known for her tireless efforts to advance a non-nuclear, secular, and democratic republic in Iran. As Chair of the Advisory Board of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), she plays a pivotal role in bipartisan majority of congressional advocacy, including support for various house resolutions, which endorses the Iranian people’s aspirations for freedom and Maryam Rajavi’s ten-point plan.
Born in Shiraz, Iran, Ramesh’s commitment to justice is deeply personal. Her family endured brutal persecution under both the Shah’s monarchy and the current theocratic regime. Several relatives were imprisoned, tortured, or executed for their opposition to tyranny—an experience that has shaped her life’s mission to amplify the voices of Iran’s oppressed.
After seeking refuge in the United States in 1985, Dr. Sepehrrad earned a B.S. in Computer Science from SUNY Buffalo, an M.A. in Political Science, and a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. She has also taught graduate courses on conflict, gender, and human rights at George Mason, University of Connecticut where she was inducted as the Distinguished Engineer, and University of Baltimore.
Professionally, she has held senior executive roles in cybersecurity and risk management where she has earned numerous industry awards and recognition.
Through academic rigor, policy engagement, and grassroots mobilization, Dr. Sepehrrad is a compelling voice for democratic change in Iran—rejecting both monarchy and theocracy in favor of a republic rooted in gender equality, human rights and the rule of law.
ABOUT DR. KAZEM KAZEROUNIAN…
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut and served as Dean of the College of Engineering from 2012 to 2024.
He is a member of The Free Iran Scholars Network. A passionate advocate for democracy and human rights, Dr. Kazerounian is also an expert on Iran and the Middle East, particularly regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, and human rights situation in Iran. He has contributed widely through scholarly articles, invited talks, and media interviews on regional affairs and the democratic movement in Iran.
Nationally, he has held leadership roles with ASEE and ASME, shaping engineering policy and education. His honors include the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Award, AIMBE Fellowship, and induction into the Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering.
An ASME Fellow, his research spans kinematics, robotics, and biomechanics. He has authored over 160 scholarly works and co-founded AcademicKeys.com and AcademicJournal.com, a professional platform and an online journal for academics.
ABOUT ALI SAFAVI…
Ali Safavi is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
A sociologist by training, Safavi studied and taught at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan. He was an active participant in the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s in the United States and has been deeply engaged in Iranian affairs ever since.
Safavi has lectured and written extensively on Iran, Iraq, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. He has appeared in interviews on networks such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, Sky TV, Newsmax, and France 24. His articles and commentary have been published in leading outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Boston Herald, The Washington Times, and The Financial Times.
This material is distributed by Special Guests Publicity LLC on behalf of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) / Media Strategy Consulting LTD. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
CONTACT: For further details or to arrange the interview, please contact Jerry McGlothlin at 919-437-0001 / Bookings@SeasonalLiving.com
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Drought in dugout
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