Iran may have made international headlines with the historic signing of the nuclear deal earlier this year, but the Islamic republic still has a huge challenge to deal with at home: a lack of water and a severe drought. Lakes and dams have dried up and many cities are on the brink of running out of water. In some remote regions, the catastrophe is also threatening the local economy.

The drought has become a main concern for many Iranians. For those living and working in Iran, it’s a topic impossible to escape. Environmental experts are sounding the alarm for what they say could become one of the worst natural disasters in the Middle East in recent history.

In Iran, as many as nine cities, including the capital Tehran, face water shortages as dams, and much of the lakes in both the east and south, have dried up. The drought is posing a serious threat to millions of people and many Iranians could even be forced to migrate.

>> On France24.com also check out our special report on the COP21.
 

By Julie DUNGELHOEFF , Mariam PIRZADEH