

The Gulf’s water crisis: Why cooperation is crucial — and complicated
Jul 01, 2025On June 19, false reports of an Israeli strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant sparked alarm across the Gulf. Though denied by Israeli officials, the claim traces back to a warning from Qatar’s prime minister of a potential catastrophe in the event of nuclear contamination — no water, no food, no life — due to the Gulf’s reliance on desalinated seawater. Gulf governments moved quickly to reassure the public that no radiation had been detected, but the episode underscored the region’s growing sense of vulnerability. A regional approach to water security could help to mitigate such risks.

Spotlight on COP28
Explore MEI's latest coverage and in-depth analysis on COP28, the pivotal 2023 U.N. Climate Change Conference meeting in Dubai from Nov. 30-Dec. 12.

About the Director
Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud
Mohammed Mahmoud's areas of expertise include climate change adaptation, water policy analysis, and scenario planning. Previously, he was a senior policy analyst with the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, where he provided research, modeling, and analysis on inter-state Colorado River Basin programs and binational water issues between the United States and Mexico.