Tehran, Iran, Sept. 29
Trend:
The Iranian energy minister said the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has voiced readiness to implement major cloud seeding projects across the country.
“The air forces of Iran's Army and IRGC are ready to help the country’s energy ministry implement cloud seeding projects and increase the chance of rain,” Reza Ardakanian said, ICANA news agency reported on September 29.
A meeting will be soon held with IRGC commanders to take the necessary measures to that end, he added.
Cloud seeding, a form of weather modification, is a way of attempting to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud.
However, its effectiveness is not yet certain, as success rates of cloud seeding schemes in other countries vary.
Iran, a largely semi-arid region, suffers from drought. Although different strategies have been employed to tackle the country’s declining rainfall and consequent drought, little has been gained, compelling authorities to resort to the “last solution”.
According to Iranian officials, cloud seeding projects have been practiced in Iran since 2008, targeting 10 provinces, namely Yazd, Isfahan, Fars, West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Sistan-Balouchestan, Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, Khuzestan, South Khorasan and Kermanshah.