Who gains from saving nature
Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / Water use · Iran · 2005–2026

Iran's Groundwater Restoration and Balancing Plan: unlicensed wells, sealing, meters and budgets

Nature's voice · report
My aquifers ran a storage deficit of 6 billion m³ a year, and 126.5 billion m³ cumulatively over 48 years, according to the Majlis Research Center in 2018.
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record. Disputed
Recorded
  • About 42 billion m³ was drawn from me each year, over 4.7 billion m³ of it from unlicensed wells, according to the plan secretary in January 2019. Eghtesadnews
  • Extraction from unlicensed wells doubled to about 8.5 billion m³ over twelve years, according to the deputy energy minister in November 2018. Asr Iran (IRNA)
  • By 2019 about 133 km³ of my nonrenewable groundwater had been depleted, according to Noori et al. (2021). PNAS 118(25) (Noori et al.)
What the record lacks: 6 none on record · 3 disputed · 2 unclear See the gaps
Accounts of the harm differ
Number of unlicensed wells in Iran
  • Press and investigations Unnamed officials via Global Voices (2017): About 220,000 unlicensed wells. Global Voices
  • Government and regulators Deputy Energy Minister Qasem Taghizadeh Khamesi (11 November 2018): More than 300,000 unlicensed wells, up from about 100,000 twelve years earlier. Asr Iran (IRNA)
  • Government and regulators Ministry of Energy (cited October 2019 and March 2021): About 320,000 unlicensed wells and about 500,000 licensed. EghtesadOnline
  • Government and regulators Mohsen Rafati, Ministry of Agriculture research institute (6 January 2019): 380,000 unlicensed wells out of 763,000. Eghtesadnews

A state programme run through the Ministry of Energy and the Supreme Water Council set out to seal unlicensed wells and meter licensed ones. The Majlis Research Center said in 2018 that over 50,000 billion rials were needed and about 24,000 billion rials had been allocated; national counts of unlicensed wells ranged from 220,000 to 380,000.

44,572Unlicensed wells sealed, 2015 to first half of 2018
Ministry of Energy figure, with a combined extraction volume of 2.257 billion m³. National counts of unlicensed wells range from about 220,000 to 380,000 depending on the source.

Status As of May 2026: about 28,000 unlicensed wells reported sealed in the preceding year; the Supreme Audit Court approved the 1403 budget-liquidation report in December 2025; no national total of unlicensed wells and no court proceedings are on record.

What?
A state programme to seal unlicensed wells, meter licensed ones and balance 609 aquifer study areas was funded below its stated need: about 24,000 billion rials allocated against over 50,000 billion rials needed, according to the Majlis Research Center in 2018. Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
Where?
Nationwide, across 609 study areas; sealing figures include Tehran, Isfahan, Fars, Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan, West Azerbaijan and Hamedan. Asr Iran (ISNA)
When?
Plan drafted in Iranian year 1384 (2005/06), implemented from 1394 (2015), end date stated as 1400 (2021/22); latest figures May 2026. Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
Who?
Gained
Lost
  • Operators of sealed wells — 44,572 unlicensed wells sealed from 1394 to the first half of 1397 Eghtesadnews
Harmed
Why?
Groundwater supplied about 55% of national water, and over 98% of water-sector funds had gone to surface water before the plan. Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
How?
Sealing of unlicensed wells, smart meters on licensed agricultural wells, patrol and inspection, a monitoring network, a water market in 609 plains, and fees and fines on extraction in the budget law. Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
In proportion Funds allocated were about 24,000 billion rials against a stated need of over 50,000 billion rials. Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

The Ministry of Energy drafted a first groundwater plan in Iranian year 1384 (2005/06), according to Taadol (2018) and Eghtesadnews (2019). Aftab News reported in November 2017 that the national plan was reviewed in 1393 (2014) and approved by the Supreme Water Council in 1394 (2015), when implementation began; Taadol gave the plan's end date as 1400 (2021/22). On 19 September 2014 Energy Minister Chitchian said a water market would be implemented in 609 plains and that groundwater management would receive a large share of ministry funding. The Sixth Development Plan set a target of 11 billion m³ less withdrawn from aquifers.

A Majlis Research Center report summarised by Taadol on 5 April 2018 stated that drilling was banned in 353 of 609 study areas; that the annual aquifer storage deficit was 6 billion m³ and the cumulative deficit over 48 years 126.5 billion m³; that groundwater supplied about 55% of national water; and that before the plan over 98% of water-sector funds had gone to surface water. It put the cost of the remaining plan activities at more than 50,000 billion rials against about 24,000 billion rials allocated from the Ministry of Energy capital budget, so that at best about half of the targets were achievable; in Iranian year 1396 (2017/18), 1,730 billion rials had been allocated of 4,000 billion rials approved. Of the 50,000 billion rials, smart meters on licensed agricultural wells accounted for about 49%, sealing unlicensed wells 15%, patrol and inspection 12% and the monitoring network 9%.

Officials gave differing well counts. In January 2019 Eghtesadnews quoted Mohsen Rafati of the Ministry of Agriculture's Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute: "we have 763,000 wells in the country, 380,000 of them unlicensed". Abdollah Fazeli, plan secretary at the Iran Water Resources Management Company, said about 42 billion m³ was drawn from aquifers yearly, over 4.7 billion m³ of it from unlicensed wells; Javad Meybodi, a Ministry of Energy director general, said 44,572 unlicensed wells had been sealed between Iranian year 1394 and the first half of 1397 (to about September 2018), with a combined volume of 2.257 billion m³. In November 2018 Deputy Energy Minister Qasem Taghizadeh Khamesi said unlicensed wells had risen from about 100,000 twelve years earlier to more than 300,000 and extraction from them had doubled to about 8.5 billion m³. Ministry of Energy figures cited by EghtesadOnline in 2019 and 2021 were about 500,000 licensed and 320,000 unlicensed wells. In North Khorasan the regional water company's managing director, Aghil Mortazavi, said in 2021 that 3,400 authorized wells extracted about 450 mcm per year and over 4,000 unlicensed wells 35 mcm, calling it regrettable that overdraft from authorized wells exceeded that from unlicensed ones.

Aftab News reported in November 2017 that plan credits rose 14% in 1394 and that in 1395 "only 10% of credits were allocated"; it credited the plan with 1.5 billion m³ saved over two years, without naming a source. On 17 May 2026 the water-industry spokesman, Eisa Bozorgzadeh, said about 28,000 unlicensed wells had been sealed from the previous year to the time of the statement, mostly in Isfahan, Fars, Kerman, Khorasan Razavi and Tehran, and that about 200,000 wells monitored water and energy together, accounting for roughly 70–80% of well output; he gave no national total of unlicensed wells. The 1405 budget bill, submitted around 23 December 2025, set groundwater fees per m³ at 10 qeran for licensed wells with smart meters following the cropping pattern (3 in 1404) and 25 qeran without smart meters (4 in 1404), an average fine of 754 qeran for licensed wells above their permit (580 in 1404) and a fine of 250 qeran for unlicensed wells following the cropping pattern (80 in 1404), as reported by SNN; enactment is not stated.

The Supreme Audit Court's plenary, chaired by its head Ahmadreza Dastgheib, approved the final report on liquidation of the 1403 budget on about 5 December 2025 (Ecoiran), including sections on water and electricity resources and meters. Dastgheib said installing precise consumption meters was vital and that violators would face serious action and heavy fines; no figures were given.

  1. 2005First plan drafted by the Ministry of Energy (Iranian year 1384)
  2. 2014National plan reviewed (1393); Energy Minister announces a water market in 609 plains (19 Sep)
  3. 2015Supreme Water Council approval and start of implementation (1394)
  4. 2017Aftab News: only 10% of plan credits allocated in 1395; plan credited with 1.5 billion m³ saved (2 Nov)
  5. 2018Majlis Research Center figures on needs and allocations reported by Taadol (5 Apr); deputy energy minister cites over 300,000 unlicensed wells (11 Nov)
  6. 2019Ministry of Agriculture institute cites 380,000 unlicensed wells of 763,000 (6 Jan)
  7. 2021Plan end date stated as 1400 (2021/22); North Khorasan well figures reported (6 Mar)
  8. 20251405 budget bill sets groundwater fees and fines (23 Dec); Supreme Audit Court plenary approves 1403 budget-liquidation report (5 Dec)
  9. 2026Water-industry spokesman: about 28,000 unlicensed wells sealed since the previous year (17 May)

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“we have 763,000 wells in the country, 380,000 of them unlicensed”

Mohsen Rafati, head of the Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture · January 2019 · translated from Persian · Eghtesadnews

“about 28,000 unlicensed wells have been sealed”

Eisa Bozorgzadeh, water-industry spokesman · 17 May 2026 · translated from Persian · Asr Iran (ISNA)

“only 10% of credits were allocated”

Aftab News, on plan credits in Iranian year 1395 · 2 November 2017 · translated from Persian · Aftab News

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

Number of unlicensed wells in Iran
Press and investigations
Unnamed officials via Global Voices (2017)

About 220,000 unlicensed wells.

Global Voices
Government and regulators
Deputy Energy Minister Qasem Taghizadeh Khamesi (11 November 2018)

More than 300,000 unlicensed wells, up from about 100,000 twelve years earlier.

Asr Iran (IRNA)
Government and regulators
Ministry of Energy (cited October 2019 and March 2021)

About 320,000 unlicensed wells and about 500,000 licensed.

EghtesadOnline
Government and regulators
Mohsen Rafati, Ministry of Agriculture research institute (6 January 2019)

380,000 unlicensed wells out of 763,000.

Eghtesadnews
Total number of wells in Iran
Government and regulators
Mohsen Rafati, Ministry of Agriculture research institute (6 January 2019)

763,000 wells, of which 380,000 unlicensed.

Eghtesadnews
Government and regulators
Ministry of Energy (cited October 2019 and March 2021)

About 500,000 licensed and 320,000 unlicensed wells.

EghtesadOnline

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

  • The plan was credited with 1.5 billion m³ of groundwater saved over two years; no source is named for the figure.
    Aftab News (2 November 2017) · Aftab News
  • A water market was to be implemented in 609 plains and groundwater management was to receive a large share of ministry funding.
    Energy Minister Chitchian (19 September 2014) · Asr Iran
  • About 28,000 unlicensed wells sealed from the previous year to May 2026, and about 200,000 wells monitoring water and energy together.
    Water-industry spokesman Eisa Bozorgzadeh (17 May 2026) · Asr Iran (ISNA)

Recorded

  • Drilling banned in 353 of 609 study areas; annual aquifer storage deficit of 6 billion m³; cumulative deficit of 126.5 billion m³ over 48 years.
    Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
  • Over 98% of water-sector funds went to surface water before the plan.
    Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
  • More than 50,000 billion rials needed to complete the plan; about 24,000 billion rials allocated; 1,730 billion rials allocated of 4,000 billion rials approved in Iranian year 1396.
    Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)
  • 44,572 unlicensed wells sealed from 1394 to the first half of 1397, with a combined volume of 2.257 billion m³.
    Eghtesadnews
  • Unlicensed wells rose from about 100,000 to over 300,000 in twelve years; extraction from them doubled to about 8.5 billion m³ (Deputy Energy Minister, November 2018).
    Asr Iran (IRNA)
  • North Khorasan: 3,400 authorized wells extracting about 450 mcm per year; over 4,000 unlicensed wells extracting 35 mcm (2021).
    EghtesadOnline
  • Cumulative nonrenewable groundwater depletion of about 133 km³ by 2019.
    PNAS 118(25) (Noori et al.)
  • Supreme Audit Court plenary approved report sections on water and electricity resources and meters on about 5 December 2025; no amounts, volumes or fine figures were published in the account.
    Ecoiran

Who gained

Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

Reached nature or the ground

Not published
Estimated need to complete remaining plan activities> 50000bn
More than 50,000 billion rials: smart meters on licensed agricultural wells about 49%, sealing unlicensed wells 15%, patrol and inspection 12%, monitoring network 9%.
Ministry of Energy capital budget allocated to remaining plan activities≈ 24000bn
About 24,000 billion rials; at best about half of the targets achievable.
Plan allocation, Iranian year 1396 (2017/18)1730bn
1,730 billion rials allocated of 4,000 billion rials approved.

Gained elsewhere

Not totalled
Currency: IRR · Window: Iranian years 1396–1397 (2017–2018), per the Majlis Research Center via Taadol. All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.

Responses on record

  • Ministry of Energy (2018–2021): Reported 44,572 unlicensed wells sealed from 1394 to the first half of 1397 and cited about 500,000 licensed and 320,000 unlicensed wells. · Eghtesadnews
  • Supreme Audit Court (5 December 2025): Its head said installing precise consumption meters was vital and violators would face serious action and heavy fines. · Ecoiran
  • Majlis Research Center (April 2018): Its report, as summarised by Taadol, put the remaining plan cost at over 50,000 billion rials against about 24,000 billion rials allocated. · Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center)

In court and with insurers

Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

Lawsuits and rulings

No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.

Insurers

No insurer decision on record.

What nature saw

Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.

Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.

Annual storage deficit
6 billion m³
Majlis Research Center via Taadol, April 2018
Cumulative deficit
126.5 billion m³
Over 48 years (same source)
Unlicensed wells sealed
44,572
2015 to first half of 2018; combined volume 2.257 billion m³
Funds allocated vs needed
≈ 24,000 vs over 50,000 billion rials
At best about half of the targets achievable

What we don't know

Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
No court caseKey earnings undisclosed

Nature

  • Disputed Number of unlicensed wells in Iran

Court

Accounts

Record

  • Disputed Figures differ: national unlicensed-well counts of about 220,000 (2017, unnamed officials via Global Voices), more than 300,000 (deputy energy minister, November 2018), 320,000 (Ministry of Energy, 2019–2021) and 380,000 (Ministry of Agriculture institute, January 2019).
  • Unclear Unclear: whether the fees and fines in the 1405 budget bill, as reported by SNN, were enacted as submitted.
  • Unclear Unclear: the basis of the 1.5 billion m³ saving credited to the plan by Aftab News in 2017, for which no source is named.
  • None on record None on record: a national total of unlicensed wells in the May 2026 statement of the water-industry spokesman.
  • None on record None on record: amounts, volumes or fine figures in the published account of the Supreme Audit Court plenary of December 2025.
  • None on record None on record: an audit figure quantifying wasted water budgets.
  • None on record None on record: court proceedings over the plan.
  • None on record None on record: insurance relating to the plan.

Did the harm stop?

None on record. The water-industry spokesman reported about 28,000 further unlicensed wells sealed in the year to May 2026, and no national total of unlicensed wells was given.

Who paid?

The aquifers, which carried an annual deficit of 6 billion m³ in 2018. The plan was funded from the Ministry of Energy capital budget, with about 24,000 billion rials allocated against a stated need of over 50,000 billion rials.

Sources

Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society✓ Researchers

Press and investigations

  1. Groundwater's urgent need for funding (summary of a Majlis Research Center report)
    Taadol (relaying the Majlis Research Center) · 2018-04-05
  2. How many unlicensed wells do we have?
    Eghtesadnews · 2019-01-06
  3. 300,000 unlicensed wells in the country
    Asr Iran (IRNA) · 2018-11-11
  5. Smart Water Use Remains a Priority
    EghtesadOnline · 2021-03-06

Researchers

  1. Anthropogenic depletion of Iran's aquifers
    PNAS 118(25) (Noori et al.) · 2021-06-14

Connected cases

Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
Terms used on this page

Science and environment

Groundwater
Water held underground in soil and rock, drawn through wells.

Bonds and banking

Liquidation, insolvency, bankruptcy
Legal processes that apply when a company cannot pay its debts; its assets are sold and claims against it may go unpaid.
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