Conflict of Interest and Governance Gap in Iran’s Water Resources Management: An Analysis of Legal and Institutional Challenges and Remedial Solutions

Document Type : Analytical note

Author

mahbobeh farzandi

Graduated from the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Water Engineering

Abstract

This analytical note dissects the water governance crisis in Iran, arguing that the deepening crisis stems from an intersecting chain of conflicts across three levels: structural (organizational), legislative (legal), and operational. Research findings indicate that mandate overlaps among key institutions—including the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture, and the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization—have fostered phenomena such as “prioritizing institutional financial interests over sustainable resource protection” and “conflicts of interest in issuing exploitation permits.” Furthermore, an analysis of upstream legislation reveals that certain support policies in the agricultural, services, and housing sectors have, through unintended consequences, effectively entrenched mechanisms of uncontrolled groundwater extraction and exacerbated pressure on aquifers. By providing a categorized analysis of intra- and inter-organizational conflicts and examining legislative fissures, this paper offers operational recommendations based on “structural cohesion,” “reform of contradictory legal frameworks,” and “the establishment of independent supervisory mechanisms” to restore sustainability to the nation’s water governance.

Keywords

Water Governance

Iran

Conflict of Interest

Mandate Overlap

Groundwater Management

Subjects

• Water Management and Economy

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