Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, saluting the farmers who continue their protests despite empty promises, stated that the root cause of the crisis is the diversion of water for military industries and institutions linked to the IRGC. She emphasized that the sole solution to water scarcity, power outages, and environmental disasters is resistance and uprising.
Deprived and oppressed farmers of Isfahan have continued their sit-ins and demonstrations for the second consecutive week, protesting the authorities’ failure to reopen the Zayandeh Rud River. Farmers from both the eastern and western regions of Isfahan, whose livelihoods and agricultural activities are facing ruin due to the lack of water, have repeatedly voiced their objection to being denied their legal water rights since the early days of Farvardin (late March). However, their appeals have yielded no results. In several instances, the protests have been met with violent attacks by special forces and the use of tear gas.
During their series of demonstrations, the farmers chanted slogans such as:
“The farmer dies but does not accept humiliation,”
“A nation has never seen such injustice,”
“The water of Zayandeh Rud is our absolute right,”
“Death to Pezeshkian,”
“We have seen no justice—only lies,” and
“We will reclaim our water rights, even if we get killed.”
They declared their rejection of the regime’s false promises and unjust decisions, vowing not to relent until their rights are fully restored.
A significant portion of the Zayandeh Rud River, which spans over 400 kilometers, has dried up due to excessive water extraction, transfers to regions favored by the regime and the Revolutionary Guards, and reduced rainfall, particularly during crucial periods for agriculture.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, in saluting the brave and underprivileged farmers of Isfahan who continue their daily protests and sit-ins despite the regime’s empty pledges, stated that on Friday, the angry demonstrators warned the clerical regime with the slogan: “If the river doesn’t flow, Isfahan will rise up!”
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the primary culprit behind this crisis is the plundering, anti-Iranian clerical regime, which has misappropriated the nation’s resources to maintain its corrupt rule. By directing water to military industries and institutions connected to the Revolutionary Guards, the regime has devastated the livelihoods of hardworking farmers.
She added that the only way to confront the water crisis, electricity shortages, environmental catastrophe, and countless other disasters inflicted upon Iran by Khamenei and his regime is through resistance and uprising.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
4 April 2025