In a recent speech, Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said adaptation to water shortage is the government's key strategy today, assuring that Iran will be able to prevent disasters resulting from the phenomenon by reversing its wrong policies in time and adopting what he called "correct behavior".
"Although the plan can be expressed in few words, tremendous effort is needed to adapt to water scarcity the way our ancestors did for thousands of years," he said.
The first seven-day period of summer is designated as the week for saving water. On the occasion, Ardakanian took the podium at the Friday prayers to speak about the most critical environmental issue in the country, which has become a bone of contention in international relations.
First Step
"For years, Iranians have consumed their resources unmethodically, but we take the first step today, we express regret and make a firm decision to shift our ways and adopt correct consumption models," he said.
Lack of rain and drought are permanent realities in Iran as it normally receives one third of the average global precipitation.
"Our past generations introduced the most advanced techniques of using underground resources called qanat 3,000 years ago, they stayed in their homeland and refused to immigrate; so can we for certain," he said.
Ardakanian assured optimistically that using the most modern global technologies and more appropriate methods, Iran will be able to save billions of cubic meters of water in the agriculture sector and supply the vital resource for drinking, cleaning and industry for "double the present population."
Safe Resource
He pointed to wastewater as the safest resource to supply water for industry and even agriculture after treatment. The official also advised against wasteful use of potable water for cleaning and sanitary purposes.
The minister stressed that proper consumption of resources is one of the aspects of "correct behavior" that has also been advised in religious teachings.
To be a role model, all state organizations have been tasked as per a government directive to reduce their consumption of both water and electricity.
Correct behavior, according to Ardakanian, is the best way to counter the outsiders' evil policies that aim to impress the public through sympathetic statements, referring to insincere words of support by US and Israeli officials for Iranians who are grappling with a raft of economic, social and environmental challenges.
