India, April 19 -- T ehran is currently in the midst of its sixth consecutive year of extreme drought (a combination of critically low rainfall, empty reservoirs and high temperatures). Satellite images show vast water bodies across the country shrinking into thin trickles. About 750 km from the capital, Urmia, once the Middle East's largest lake, has dwindled to less than 10% its former size. From about 6,000 sq km, it now covers just 581 sq km. Beneath the ground, the crisis runs deeper. As Iran, like so many countries, overuses groundwater, falling levels, combined with changing rainfall patterns and extensive dam construction, have led to the shrinking of wetlands and lakes. Adding to the problem is the prevalence of water-intensive cro...