Protests Against Water Crisis; Farmers in Eastern Isfahan Gather with Their Tractors in Khorasgan Square

Farmers from eastern Isfahan province gathered on Thursday, April 5, in protest against water shortages and the potential resumption of water flow cuts in the Zayandeh Rud river. According to the Telegram channel "Civil Market Protest," the protesting farmers stationed their tractors in Khorasgan Square and expressed their concerns about the water scarcity and the likelihood of water flow cuts in the Zayandeh Rud as the 12-day protest deadline approaches. Meanwhile, Mehdi Taqiyani, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, previously stated that the Zayandeh Rud issue is not just a concern for eastern Isfahan and its farmers, warning that the entire Isfahan plain is at risk of subsidence due to the drying of the river in Iran's central plateau. He emphasized that if no action is taken in the coming years, "we all must leave Isfahan." Additionally, farmers in Isfahan have a history of protests, including a demonstration last February where they chanted: "Give Isfahan breath, return the Zayandeh Rud." According to a previous report by the Ham-Mihan newspaper, "for over two decades," water has been cut off from Isfahani farmers, who have repeatedly protested for their water rights and the implementation of laws, but these protests have not only gone unheard but their conditions have worsened. Azam Bahrami, an environmental expert, previously told Voice of America that Iran will face a new wave of protests and demands from farmers. The worsening conditions for Isfahani farmers indicate that Iran is on the brink of renewed unrest.