Water matters as much as oil in the Iran war. Experts explain why.
USA TODAY
Here's why oil and water disruptions in the Middle East affect energy, fertilizer and food prices here at home.
Gas prices have been inching higher since the United States and Israel attacked Iran, but there’s another commodity in the Middle East besides oil and gas that could have a long-term impact if the war drags on: water.
On the latest episode of The Excerpt, USA TODAY explores the vital nexus between oil and water. In the war with Iran, both are now strategic tools – and liabilities.
“Oil built the Persian Gulf,” said Shafiqul Islam, founding director of the Water Diplomacy Program at Tufts University in Massachusetts. “Desalinated water keeps it alive.”
Desalination plants remove salt from seawater to make fresh, drinkable water.
About 400 plants sit along the Gulf coast, providing water for people, agriculture and industries in one of the world’s driest regions, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Shortly after the war began, Iran accused the United States of illegally attacking a freshwater desalination plant, affecting 30 villages. The U.S. and Israel denied responsibility. Soon after, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants.
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