News brief

Severe drought in Iran. Water levels in dams around Tehran have plunged and water rationing and power cuts are forecast for the summer as the rain-starved country wilts under a severe drought. Reserves in key dams supplying nearly all the city’s drinking water have dropped to their lowest levels on record, just 5% of capacity, the managing director of Tehran’s Water and Sewage Department said. Rainfall in the capital is down 17% from last year, and stands 42% below the long-term average. President Masoud Pezeshkian said rapid urban expansion has made it impossible to sustain current consumption levels in Tehran and nearby areas.