Iran is a warning to every society that treats water as infinite. Over the summer, Iran’s water crisis turned into an emergency. Wells collapsed and some reservoirs ran dry. Taps went dry for half a day in Tehran, and state media warned that the city of about 10 million people could hit “Day Zero,” the point at which water resources can no longer meet demand, within weeks.

Temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, air conditioners droned, and power cuts followed. Millions of Iranians baked in the punishing heat. In a rare admission of failure, Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president offered 100 billion tomans (about a million dollars) to anyone who could solve the crisis.

Iran isn’t facing a mere drought. Iran faces water bankruptcy, with demand far outstripping supply. The coll

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