Iranians complain of blackouts, water cuts as power crisis deepens

Widespread power outages are crippling daily life across Iran, according to voice messages sent to Iran International by residents in cities including Tehran, Shiraz, Ahvaz and others.

Some of the accounts describe isolation in sweltering apartments, lack of essential services and increasing anger over government inaction.

In Ahvaz, where daytime temperatures top 45°C, one man said midday cuts had left families without air conditioning.

A resident of Pardis near Tehran reported being stranded in a high-rise: “On the 14th floor, we’re cut off from the world for two hours a day—no power, no water, no communication.”

In Shahreza in Isfahan province, a woman filmed a gas station rendered defunct by power cuts.

Iran faces a shortfall of nearly 20,000 megawatts, a crisis fueled by extreme heat, dwindling hydropower, and years of underinvestment.

Messages show burned-out appliances, food spoilage, and even fire damage. “This fire started because of power flickers,” said one man, gesturing to a scorched storefront. “This is one of the blessings of the Islamic Republic.”

Some residents complained about bathing children with bottled water and elderly citizens stuck in buildings without functioning elevators or water pumps.

“No bread, no water, no electricity, no internet, no clean air,” one voice said. “This already is hell.”

The outages have hit mobile networks and small businesses alike, with dead batteries at relay stations shutting down service and shopkeepers counting losses. “The fuse blew. Everything spoiled. I paid a heavy price,” said a Gelato shop owner.

Despite vast oil and gas reserves, Iran’s government has failed to upgrade infrastructure or build renewables.

Authorities continue to cite illegal cryptocurrency mining as a strain. Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said such operations now consume over 1,000 megawatts—about 5% of the shortfall.

But the broader collapse in services continues. In high-rise buildings, electricity cuts disable water pumps, leaving residents without running water. “We haven’t showered in two days,” said a woman in one video. “We use bottled water for the toilet. At least open the public baths.”