Iran Protests: Isfahan Farmers Demand Water Rights Amid Intensifying Crisis

Staff WriterApril 4, 2025
Iran Protests: Isfahan Farmers Demand Water Rights Amid Intensifying Crisis
Farmers in Isfahan, central Iran, continued their protest for water rights on April 4, 2025

Farmers in Isfahan, central Iran, continued their protest for water rights on April 4, 2025
Written by
Sedighe Shahrokhi

Farmers from Ziar and Khorasgan in Isfahan province have resumed their protests over water rights, staging rallies on April 3 and 4 against the clerical regime’s failure to provide access to the waters of the Zayandeh Rud river. Demonstrators accuse the authorities of systemic negligence and policies that prioritize water allocation to state-affiliated institutions and other regions at the expense of local agriculture.

Chanting slogans such as “Zayandeh Rud’s water is our right” and “Thirty years of looting the river’s water,” protesters decried the ongoing injustice and suppression of their livelihood. They also highlighted the government’s broken promises and negligence towards their demands for sustainable water distribution.

The protests escalated after reports emerged of farmers in Isfahan damaging water transfer pipelines to the neighboring province of Yazd. According to reports, demonstrators broke sections of the pipeline on March 29, as frustration grew over the continued drying of Zayandeh Rud and the lack of action by the authorities.

The government responded by dispatching security forces to confront the protesters. Meanwhile, Elias Hazrati, the head of the government’s Information Council, confirmed that orders had been issued to repair the damaged pipelines. Hazrati described the protesters as “a small group causing disruption,” and dismissed their grievances as illegitimate.

Following the pipeline sabotage, authorities in Yazd declared a “red alert” due to disruptions in the region’s water supply. The Water and Sewage Company of Yazd reported that essential pumping stations had been set on fire, leading to water shortages across multiple districts. Schools and government offices in Yazd will be closed on April 5 and 6 due to the ongoing crisis.

Tensions over water rights in Isfahan have been simmering for years, with farmers repeatedly protesting against the diversion of Zayandeh Rud’s water to other provinces. These protests reached their peak in 2018 when security forces responded to peaceful demonstrations with pellet guns, leading to severe injuries, including cases of blindness among demonstrators.

Local farmers argue that their demands for permanent water flow in Zayandeh Rud have been ignored. Despite temporary concessions by the regime, protesters insist that these measures are insufficient and unsustainable.

Calls for reform have been dismissed by the authorities, who continue to prioritize politically motivated water transfer projects. The ongoing crisis highlights the regime’s broader inability to manage natural resources effectively, with activists warning that the situation will only worsen if systemic changes are not made. The protests are expected to continue, with farmers and their supporters vowing to press on until their demands for equitable water distribution are met.

Staff WriterApril 4, 2025
Arab-Islamic Committee in Defence of Ashraf
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