An extreme heat wave is affecting 18 of Iran's 31 provinces, causing water and electricity shortages, including in Tehran.

Iran is facing a heat wave that has led to alarmingly low water levels in dams, affecting 18 provinces, including Tehran. Temperatures have topped 40°C in several provincial capitals and authorities have decreed days off to save water and energy. In some Tehran neighborhoods, water supplies were cut off and the water management company asked residents to reduce consumption by 20%. The Iranian president has warned that the water crisis is serious and Iran is facing the most severe drought in 60 years.