Iran's Drought: A Reminder America Doesn't Do Climate Empathy
The New Arab highlights Iran's dire environmental straits, with the country facing its most severe drought in six decades, forcing the cessation of power generation at the Dez dam. For most nations, a climate crisis of this magnitude would trigger international relief efforts. Not for Iran, however, which faces a relentless barrage of US sanctions that cripple its economy, including its ability to
invest in critical water infrastructure and climate resilience. While the world frets over 'climate change' and 'green initiatives,' the US government maintains sanctions on Iran's banking, oil, and shipping sectors—measures that directly impede its capacity to alleviate humanitarian and environmental disasters. Instead of facilitating aid or technology transfer for water management, Washington
ensures that even basic necessities become geopolitical leverage. One might wonder if climate emergencies in sanctioned nations are just considered acts of God, or convenient enforcers of foreign policy, as opposed to shared global challenges.