Iran International:

As Iran faces a deepening water crisis, a recent report by The Economist shows how the Islamic Republic is quietly flooding Persian Gulf markets with fruit and vegetables through a sprawling export scheme.

“The Islamic Republic… is in a serious pickle,” The Economist wrote in its Friday report.

Flooding the Persian Gulf with fruit and veg is one of its ways to pay for foreign goods it so desperately needs, added the outlet, saying “Iran now supplies nine out of ten cauliflowers, tomatoes and watermelons imported by the UAE.”

The trade relies on large state subsidies that make water, fertilizers and energy almost free.

Iran’s greenhouse cultivation has more than tripled in area since the early 2010s, supported by imported technology from countries including China and the Netherlands. Much of the equipment, The Economist wrote, originates from Israel—“a leader in the field”—though routed indirectly.

But this export boom is exacerbating water scarcity across Iran. With agriculture consuming over 90% of available water, and government support concentrated on export-focused farms, residents in cities like Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and many others endure hours-long daily shutoffs. Officials have warned of a collapse of groundwater resources and irreversible environmental damage.

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