Middle East Faces Record Heat and Water Crisis in Summer 2025

• Jul 28, 2025

The Middle East is enduring one of its harshest summers ever, with several countries recording temperatures well above 50°C. From Syria to Saudi Arabia, this extreme heat is not just a seasonal occurrence but a sign of a worsening climate emergency that is overwhelming infrastructure, straining resources, and exposing millions to life-threatening conditions.

In Iran, cities like Ahvaz and Bushehr saw temperatures rise past 50°C in late July. Even Tehran, the capital, faced 40°C heat as local reservoirs dried up rapidly. Authorities issued heatstroke warnings across 18 provinces. The country’s electricity grid was unable to meet high demand, causing blackouts that disrupted water supply systems. Tehran, a city of 12 million people, is now on a "red alert" due to dangerously low water levels.

Neighboring Iraq experienced even more extreme heat. Arabic-language media reported that Baghdad hit 53°C, with Basra and other southern provinces reporting similar highs. The situation has become critical, with Iraq’s water reserves dropping to just 8% of their capacity. Public anger over government mismanagement has led to protests in the south, where citizens are demanding urgent action in the face of worsening conditions brought on by climate change and political instability.

In northeast Syria, temperatures soared to 48°C, causing marketplaces in cities like Hasakah and Qamishli to shut down. One resident described the empty streets as feeling like a “curfew.” Despite ongoing alerts from the Syrian Meteorological Department, official weather data is scarce due to the country’s fractured government.

Kuwait has also seen temperatures reach 52°C, with weather authorities calling it the most intense heatwave in ten years. Health officials advised residents to stay indoors during the hottest hours and cancelled several public events. In central and coastal areas, forecasts continue to show 51°C.

Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, including cities like Dammam and Al-Ahsa, reported temperatures over 50°C. To protect outdoor workers, local municipalities distributed bottled water and built temporary shade shelters.

Turkey also experienced an unprecedented 50.5°C in Silopi, near the Syrian border, marking the country’s highest recorded temperature. Experts warn that such conditions are becoming more common. Met4Cast, a weather monitoring site, stated, “This isn’t just a heatwave. It’s the edge of human survival.”

Climate scientist Dr. Diana Francis, speaking to Arabi21, said the region is becoming one of the world’s hottest zones. Without serious adaptation and emission-cutting policies, she warned, large parts of the Middle East may become uninhabitable in the summer within the coming decades.

As regional infrastructure collapses under pressure, water runs out, and public health risks soar, the summer of 2025 is a warning. The Middle East can no longer delay climate action. The choice now is between urgent response or widespread collapse.