Author: Fanack Water Editorial Team
Iraq is facing a worsening water crisis, and recent moves by Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani’s government to seek short-term water negotiations with Turkey have met sharp criticism from political circles and experts alike. The stakes are high: dwindling water supplies now threaten Iraqi livelihoods, agriculture, and the very stability of the country.
Background: The Long-Standing Water Dispute
For decades, Iraq has depended heavily on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for water. These rivers, however, originate upstream in Turkey, which has built vast dam and irrigation infrastructure. Since the 1980s, beginning with the controversial Ataturk Dam—one of the region’s largest—Turkey has incrementally gained control over the rivers’ flow (Kurdistan24, 2025). Despite earlier assurances that its projects would not impact downstream water supply, these dams have increasingly reduced the volume of water reaching Iraq and Syria.
In recent years, Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) has solidified Ankara’s control over the rivers’ headwaters. This control, combined with climate change-induced drought, has strained Iraq’s water resources and heightened tensions (Carnegie Endowment, 2024).
Recent Government Action and Criticism
On a recent Sunday, Iraq’s prime minister announced that three cabinet members—Agriculture Minister Abbas al-Maliki, Water Resources Minister Aoun Diab, and Environment Minister Halo Askari—would seek talks with Turkey to secure water supplies over the next two months. The decision aims for a rapid solution to critical water shortages impacting drinking water and environmental protection.
However, these moves have drawn strong criticism within Iraq. Detractors argue that relying on short-term negotiations signals governmental failure to develop sustainable, long-term solutions. Critics say that Iraq often fails to assert its internationally recognized water rights and instead treats the issue as seeking goodwill from Turkey rather than demanding justice (AL-Monitor, 2025).
Observers also highlight that discussions with Ankara have been ongoing for years with little breakthrough, as Turkey’s “minor concessions” have fallen short of Iraq’s needs (Kurdistan24, 2025). Turkish officials emphasize their own growing water demands and cite development priorities that rely heavily on retaining water at the source.
The Scale of the Crisis in Iraq
Iraq now confronts what the Water Resources Minister calls “the most severe drought in its history” and “one of the worst water years in over ninety years” (SyriacPress, 2025).
Water shortages are visible and dire: riverbeds once flowing vigorously have dried, agricultural lands have turned parched, and traditional livelihoods such as rice farming, buffalo rearing, and fishing have all but vanished. In southern Iraq, the salinity of the Shatt al-Arab river, critical for freshwater supply, has reached unprecedented levels due to reduced river volume and pollution.
The Ministry of Agriculture recently convened a tripartite meeting that stressed drinking water and human consumption as top priorities, followed by environmental river protection. Agriculture, a backbone of Iraq’s food security, was placed last due to the crisis severity.
Environmental and Social Consequences
The crisis has far-reaching consequences beyond just water scarcity. Pollution from industrial and municipal waste worsens river health, compounding public health risks.
Massive rural water shortages are driving farmers and villagers from their land toward already overcrowded urban centers. This migration threatens to overwhelm city infrastructure and exacerbates social tension and instability (Iraq Parliament Agriculture Committee, 2025).
Food security faces severe risk as cropland irrigation shrinks drastically. This shift endangers Iraq’s ability to feed its population, increasing dependence on imports amid global food price volatility.
Expert Scepticism and Political Dynamics
Many water experts and analysts are skeptical about the efficacy of short-term negotiations with Turkey. They warn that Iraq risks further delays trapped in protracted talks while conditions worsen on the ground (Chatham House, 2025).
Turkey’s approach appears to prioritize domestic water demands, retaining firm control over river flows. Its strategy includes offering technical assistance on water management but little in terms of guaranteed increased flow volumes to downstream neighbors (AL-Monitor, 2025).
Looking Ahead: Iraq’s Challenges
Internally, Iraq is attempting to adapt by investing in more efficient irrigation techniques and cracking down on illegal water use, but these steps may prove insufficient given the scale of external water cuts.
With water reserves plummeting to levels not seen for eight decades, imminent prospects include further agricultural contraction and escalating human hardship. Iraqi lawmakers have urged stronger diplomatic action and even legal measures at international forums to secure Iraq’s water rights (Shiawaves, 2025).
Iraq’s water crisis is complex, influenced by climate change, war, and geopolitics. The government’s recent push for short-term talks with Turkey underscores the emergency but has met widespread criticism. Sustainable resolution will require long-term, legally grounded agreements, investment in Iraq’s water infrastructure, and regional cooperation that respects the needs of all riparian states.
As the Tigris and Euphrates rivers shrink, a nation dependent on these lifelines faces an existential challenge — one that demands urgent and decisive action beyond mere negotiation.