Netanyahu sends message to Iranians amid water crisis
Iran is grappling with a severe water crisis, but aid may be on the horizon from an unexpected source—if the "tyrants" are removed from power.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a message to the people of Iran just days after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned against excessive water usage, saying the country is on the brink of severe shortages, News.Az reports citing Fox news.
Iran has faced electricity, gas and water shortages during peak-demand months due to mismanagement and overconsumption, according to Reuters. The outlet, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency, reported that severe shortages could hit the country as soon as next month.
"The thirst for water in Iran is only matched by the thirst for freedom," Netanyahu said in a video addressing the people of Iran.
Netanyahu compared the regime’s treatment of its citizens to Israel’s struggle against it, saying, "Your dictators impose tyranny and poverty upon you – just as they impose war on us."
While he stopped short of explicitly calling for revolution or regime change, the Israeli leader dangled a clear incentive for Iranians to rise up: remove the regime, and Israel will help end the country’s water crisis.
"So here is the great news: The moment your country is free, Israel's top water experts will flood into every Iranian city bringing cutting-edge technology and know-how. We will help Iran recycle water; we'll help Iran desalinate water."
Iran expert and editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk Lisa Daftari said Netanyahu's message was "a clear policy signal wrapped in humanitarian aid."
"He told them that Israel has the technology, the expertise, and the willingness to end their water crisis, but that this help will flow only when Iran is no longer ruled by the current regime. It was a direct link between political change and tangible improvement in daily life, acknowledging the daily struggles of the Iranian people while putting the responsibility and the opportunity squarely in their hands," Daftari told Fox News Digital.
"By tying water to freedom, he’s making the idea of resistance more immediate and personal. It is a nod to the commonalities shared by the Israeli and Iranian people who just want to live normal lives away from radicalism," she added.
In June, Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war after Jerusalem acted against Tehran’s nuclear program. The U.S. eventually joined, aiding Israel in destroying nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
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