Minister: War-damaged desalination plants in south fully operational
Iran’s Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said on Sunday that all desalination plants damaged in recent US strikes in the country's south are fully operational, ensuring no islands are facing water shortages.
Aliabadi, accompanied by the executive vice president and the minister of roads and urban development, visited the southern Hormozgan Province on Sunday to attend a crisis meeting and inspect strike-damaged areas.
“Residents in the southern provinces are enduring severe hardships as extreme heat waves compound the pressure from the recent attacks,” he said.
After a pause of several weeks, the United States resumed strikes on Iran's infrastructure on July 11, after three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz were targeted.
The country has remained on a war footing since a US-Israeli coalition launched attacks in late February, particularly targeting civilians and infrastructure during a 40-day conflict.
Aliabadi acknowledged that the strikes targeted infrastructure directly affecting civilians, but credited the round-the-clock efforts of his staff and public cooperation for maintaining stable utility services."
"All desalination plants in the region are in operation, and currently, none of the country's islands are facing water shortages," he said, adding that the water and electricity supply situation in Bandar Abbas is also stable.
Detailing the restoration of the power grid, the minister noted that four 400-kilovolt and two 230-kilovolt transmission lines damaged during the strikes have been fully repaired, returning the regional network to normal conditions.
Aliabadi urged the public to conserve energy, stating that turning off unnecessary lights and air conditioners helps supply power to vital centers like hospitals and supports those on the front lines.
The country was already experiencing energy shortages prior to the attacks, a situation exacerbated by the conflict and peak summer heat.
Legal ramifications
Addressing the legal ramifications of the strikes, Aliabadi said much of the documentation on previous attacks had already been prepared and submitted to the relevant authorities.
He noted that targeting water and electricity facilities, which directly serve civilian needs, constitutes a war crime.
The documentation of the recent attacks is being meticulously finalized to be submitted to relevant international courts and legal bodies, supplementing reports from previous strikes that have already been sent to authorities.
Highlighting the rapid recovery efforts on the ground, Hashem Amini, CEO of the Iran Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, announced that the Bonji desalination plant in western Jask County was restored to operation just 24 hours after sustaining damage from a US missile strike on its power and pump facilities.
According to ILNA, Amini said that initial technical assessments had estimated that temporary repairs to the pumping station would take at least a week. However, through round-the-clock efforts, rapid coordination, and the field presence of experts, the facility was brought back online in a single day.
"This action prevented widespread disruption in the drinking water supply, and services to more than 10,000 residents of 20 villages in Jask County continued without interruption," Amini stated.