Iran International
Benjamin Netanyahu’s call on Iranians to rise up—coupled with a promise of Israeli help to solve the country’s water shortages—set off a wave of praise, criticism, and ridicule across Iran’s political spectrum and online.
In an August 12 video, the Israeli prime minister cited President Masoud Pezeshkian’s own admission of deep crises to assert that Iranians don’t even have clean water to give to their children.
He pledged that once people toppled the Islamic Republic and Iran was “free,” Israeli water experts would go to “every city” with desalination and recycling technology.
Reactions: from praise to scorn
Thousands of Iranians reacted on X and other platforms. Supporters called Israel “the true friend of the Iranian people” and urged others to heed Netanyahu’s call.
Others interpreted the message as a signal of another imminent Israeli strike.
“These consecutive messages from the Israelis … carry an important warning,” one user wrote. “The Iranian people are very close to a second round of attacks. It’s better for you to take to the streets so that the cost for both us and you will be lower.”
Some even urged further Israeli action.
“We still need your help. Target the remaining leaders of the regime so that overthrowing it becomes easier for the people,” read another comment.
But many doubted the call would have any effect.
“As someone in Tehran, I must say that there is no way people will take to the streets,” one user posted. “They have no hope, and what you’re saying is not feasible before Khamenei and [his son] Mojtaba are declared dead.”
Criticism of the messenger
Others went further, turning their fire on Netanyahu himself.
“Contrary to Netanyahu’s false claim, the water Israelis drink in abundance is not the product of Israeli technology; it is water denied to the Palestinians,” lawyer Reza Nasri posted.
Some referenced alleged Israeli strikes on water infrastructure during the 12-day conflict.
“Khomeini came with promises of free water and electricity and delivered rooftop executions,” activist Amir Ebrahimi wrote.
“Netanyahu talks of providing water, and the result of his promise was the bombing of the main Tajrish water pipeline and the killing of people. Criminal dictators and charlatans share the same principles.”
Officials and state media push back
Top political and security figures, including Pezeshkian, Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, dismissed or mocked the message.
State TV aired a vox-pop segment, mixing genuine and staged interviews, ridiculing Netanyahu’s claim that Iranians could water-ski again in the Karaj Dam if the Islamic Republic fell.
The dam, once a popular recreation site, is now almost dry.
‘Root cause’
Criticism also came from those outside the government, including activists who oppose Tehran’s rule but saw Netanyahu’s comments as misleading or self-serving.
These voices sought to shift the conversation from Israel’s role to Iran’s own governance failures.
“Netanyahu spoke of desalination… these plants were built entirely by Iranian private companies,” environmental activist Reza Karimi wrote on X alongside images of two desalination plants in southern Iran.
“Our problem with water is not technology. We are exporters of water engineering projects. Our problem is poor water governance.”
