Who is Reza Haji Karim? President of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, water crisis analyst, and critic of the Taleghan water transfer project.

Who is Reza Haji Karim?

Engineer Reza Haji Karim, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, member of the Technical, Engineering, and Construction Services Commission of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, member of the Representatives Assembly of the Iran Chamber, and one of the most prominent private sector figures in the country's water and wastewater industries, has emerged in recent years as a primary reference for analyzing Iran's water crisis—specifically from the perspective of the specialized private sector. Blending a unique combination of technical-engineering expertise, a pivotal role within the trade union and employer structure of the country's water industry, and a highly visible media profile, Haji Karim serves as the voice of one of the most vital non-governmental institutions tracking Iran's water crisis, which stands as the nation's most pressing environmental and developmental challenge.

The significance of Engineer Reza Haji Karim within Iran's industrial and analytical landscape spans several key dimensions. First, his leadership of the Water Industry Federation of Iran—an important umbrella organization representing over 15,000 contracting companies, more than 1,000 engineering consulting firms, and an extensive network of manufacturers and technology providers operating in water supply, wastewater management, desalination, and related infrastructure—makes him the official spokesperson for the private sector of Iran's water industry. Second, he possesses a distinct analytical framework for understanding the water crisis; by presenting precise statistics (100 billion cubic meters of annual renewable water, 400 billion cubic meters of precipitation, 9 billion cubic meters of drinking water demand, and 4 billion cubic meters of industrial demand), he identifies the root of the crisis in "the patterns of consumption, management, and resource policymaking of the country" rather than in "water itself." Third, his highly covered media presence in recent years—ranging from interviews on Ecoiran's "Meydan-e Shoaa" program to major press briefings (such as the "Water Crisis and Survival" summit on August 5, 2025)—has cemented his standing as one of the most frequently cited specialized voices in Iran's public discourse. Fourth, his prominent recent international initiatives—including corresponding with the Director of the UN Water Program and the International Water Association regarding physical damages sustained by Iran's water infrastructure during the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict (encompassing the Qeshm desalination plant, the Khorramabad pumping station, and the Khomein water reservoir)—signal his active role in bridging the national and international arenas of the water industry.

In recent months, in one of his widely covered stances, Haji Karim warned about the engineering initiative designed to divert water from Taleghan to Tehran, declaring: "There is simply no water in Taleghan left to transfer to the capital; water rationing in Tehran should have commenced much sooner." Against the tense climate of the capital's water shortage in the autumn of 2025, this position generated widespread coverage across Iranian media.

Life and Background

Detailed biographical records concerning the birth date, birthplace, and family background of Engineer Reza Haji Karim remain limited in public media spheres; a characteristic that is relatively common among private sector executives and trade union figures who focus primarily on their professional and technical activities. What is clear from the published accounts of his professional path is that Haji Karim belongs to the deeply experienced, mid-career cohort of Iran's water infrastructure engineers, having spent decades operating continuously within the private sector of this industry.

Education and Engineering Background

The title "Engineer" used to identify him in Iranian media signifies his technical-engineering expertise, which serves as the foundation for his corporate leadership and union-level advocacy in the water sector. Within the structure of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, which is counted among the prominent technical and specialized associations of the Chamber of Commerce, engineering expertise is a primary prerequisite for holding high-level executive positions.

The Water Industry Federation of Iran

The turning point in Haji Karim's professional and executive profile is his chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the Water Industry Federation of Iran. This federation, which ranks among the most vital specialized employer associations in Iran's water sector, is considered one of the most vocal private sector bodies in the industry.

Structure and Scope of the Federation

According to official descriptions, the Water Industry Federation of Iran is a professional, non-governmental umbrella organization that represents a significant portion of the country's technical, industrial, and institutional capacity in the water sector. Operating under the auspices of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, the federation represents a broad network of water industry actors through its member associations:

• Over 15,000 contracting companies

• Over 1,000 engineering consulting firms

• An extensive network of manufacturers and technology providers active in water supply, wastewater management, desalination, and related infrastructure

• A wide array of non-governmental scientific, professional, employer, and research organizations operating in the field of water resources and services

This institutional scale has transformed the federation into one of the most powerful independent trade and technical associations in Iran.

Board of Directors

The current Board of Directors of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, chaired by Engineer Reza Haji Karim, comprises these prominent figures:

• Reza Haji Karim (Chairman of the Board)

• Bijan Saeidabadi (First Vice Chairman of the Board)

• Amirhooshang Rezaei (Second Vice Chairman of the Board)

• Mohammad Bagher Karimi and Saeid Manouchehrian (Secretaries)

• Mehdi Mostafa, Mohammad Reza Beheshtian Ardakani, Mohammad Jafar Fardhosseini, Hassan Shantia, Salar Aliyari Kordeheh, Mohammad Shafi Rezakhani, Jafar Ghaffari Shirvan, Mohammad Kiafar, Abdolreza Foroughi, Esmaeil Mesgarpour Toussi (Board Members)

• Seyed Alireza Shariat (Secretary-General of the Federation)

The central headquarters of the federation is located in Tehran, Saadat Abad, above Kaj Square, 9th Eastern Street, No. 18, First Floor.

Membership in the Structure of the Iran Chamber of Commerce

In addition to presiding over the Water Industry Federation, Haji Karim operates in several prominent positions within the Iran Chamber of Commerce:

• Member of the Technical, Engineering, and Construction Services Commission of the Iran Chamber: This commission, which is one of the most vital specialized bodies of the Iran Chamber, plays a strategic role in private sector policymaking regarding infrastructure, civil development, and industrial works.

• Member of the Representatives Assembly of the Iran Chamber: Haji Karim is also a member of the Representatives Assembly of the Iran Chamber, a role that grants him a strategic position within the decision-making framework of the Iranian private sector. The Representatives Assembly ranks among the most influential trade bodies of the country's private sector, steering economic and commercial policies in Iran.

The Flagship "Water Crisis and Survival" Summit (August 5, 2025)

One of the most widely covered recent events involving Haji Karim was the "Water Crisis and Survival" press conference, organized by the Water Industry Federation of Iran on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. At this summit, Haji Karim, acting as the Chairman of the Federation's Board, detailed his distinct analytical framework regarding Iran's water crisis.

Macro-Resource Metrics of the Country

During this summit, Haji Karim cited official metrics, stating: "We are a country that possesses 100 billion cubic meters of renewable water under normal conditions. The volume of precipitation stands at 400 billion cubic meters, and renewable water is 100 billion cubic meters. This is while our entire drinking water demand is only 9 billion cubic meters, and industrial demand is 4 billion cubic meters." This data, which precisely maps the ratio between available resources and vital industrial-domestic requirements, forms the cornerstone of Haji Karim's theoretical reasoning.

Rejection of the Necessity of Water Imports

Relying on these figures, Haji Karim declared: "Given these metrics and the standards of hydrological resource management, importing water is completely unnecessary." In the Iranian media landscape—where the idea of importing water from neighboring countries was being raised as a potential solution to the crisis—this stance remains one of the most frequently cited critical perspectives.

Emphasis on a Crisis of Management, Not Resources

The central thesis of Haji Karim's outlook at this summit was isolating the core of the crisis within the spheres of management and consumption rather than resource availability. In his view: "Despite the challenges in water management and consumption, the country is not facing a structural shortage of natural resources, and the policy of importing water lacks justification and long-term efficiency. The root of the crisis lies in the consumption patterns, management, and policymaking of the country's water resources, not in the water itself." This analytical framework, which identifies governance failures and policymaking as the primary source of the water crisis in Iran, stands out as a remarkable facet of his perspective.

Warnings Regarding the Taleghan-to-Tehran Water Transfer Project

One of Haji Karim's most widely covered recent stances is his serious critique of the engineering project designed to divert water from the Taleghan Dam to Tehran. In a notable interview with Dideban Iran (November 2025), he stated:

"It appears that water rationing in Tehran is not distant at all, and this measure should have commenced much sooner. In various sessions with the country's water executives, we urged an earlier start to urban water rationing in Tehran, even though such an action carries its own unique complications."

He further added: "Unfortunately, some officials operate under the illusion that the water transfer project from Taleghan can rescue Tehran, but Taleghan itself relies entirely on seasonal atmospheric precipitation. Naturally, when we face a lack of rainfall in Taleghan, there is simply no water to fill the reservoir. Currently, the Taleghan Dam itself is exposed to the risk of complete dryness."

Structural Critique of the Transfer Project

In another prominent interview on Ecoiran’s "Meydan-e Shoaa" program, Haji Karim pointed out a major structural point: "Among the five main dams, at least the Taleghan Dam does not belong to Tehran. Taleghan is located on the border of Qazvin and Alborz provinces, and under normal circumstances, its water should never have been routed into Tehran." This stance highlights his structural and regional approach to national water management.

International Actions Following the 12-Day War

A key dimension of Haji Karim's recent activity involves his international follow-up regarding the damages inflicted upon Iran's water infrastructure during the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict (June 2025).

Correspondence with the International Water Association and the United Nations

Following the war, acting as the President of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, Haji Karim sent an official letter to the International Water Association (IWA) and the Director of UN-Water. In this communication, he conveyed the federation's deep concerns, urging the International Water Association and relevant bodies within the United Nations system—including UN-Water and other humanitarian organizations—to emphasize "the absolute necessity of protecting water supply infrastructures and sanitation services that serve civilian populations during armed conflicts."

Damaged Facilities

In his letter, Haji Karim specifically detailed the physical damages sustained by several Iranian water facilities during the 12-day conflict:

• A desalination unit in Qeshm

• A water pumping station in Khorramabad

• An urban water storage reservoir in Khomein

This direct communication by an Iranian non-governmental organization with international bodies regarding the humanitarian impact of the conflict represents a notable instance of informal diplomacy within Iran's water industry.

Analytical Perspectives and Stances

Emphasizing the "Management Crisis" over the "Resource Crisis"

The core thesis of Haji Karim’s professional outlook isolates the primary source of Iran's water issues within governance and policy rather than natural resource baseline limitations. He maintains that "the root of the crisis lies in the consumption patterns, management, and policymaking of the country's water resources, not in the water itself." This analytical framework directly challenges the mainstream discourse focused strictly on absolute water scarcity.

Critique of the Water Management Structure

In a key critique of national governance, Haji Karim stated: "In our modern management model, we completely eliminated all actual decision-makers. Consequently, the farmer has no visibility or connection to how much water remains behind the dam..." This critique targets the non-participatory, top-down structure of water decision-making and calls for restoring the agency of actual stakeholders, including farmers and local communities.

Critique of Insufficient Investment in the Water Sector

Despite the severe nature of the water crisis, Haji Karim highlighted a structural paradox in Iran's resource planning, stating: "Investment in water infrastructure, despite being the country's most critical crisis, completely lacks economic justification." This observation points out the systemic policy failure wherein the nation's most pressing emergency remains financially unappealing to investors.

Concerns over the Decline of Social Capital

Addressing macro-social dynamics, Haji Karim noted: "Unfortunately, the events of recent months have led to a severe decline in the country's social capital." This statement reflects his structural and sociological understanding of Iran's current developmental obstacles.

Critique of the Construction Industry's Condition

Commenting on the construction and civil engineering sector, which is deeply intertwined with water infrastructure, Haji Karim warned: "The construction industry is facing an autumn of decline; active enterprises in this field are shrinking and shutting down one after another. Only if the pathways for foreign investment and the export of technical-engineering services are cleared can we keep this industry alive."

Emphasis on International Connections

A foundational tenet of Haji Karim’s strategic outlook is the necessity of global integration for domestic strategies to succeed. He explicitly stated: "Successful domestic strategies are entirely ineffective without impactful international connections." This position underscores his realistic approach to linking Iran's domestic technical-engineering capacity with the global arena.

Advocacy for the Export of Technical and Engineering Services

Haji Karim remains a staunch advocate for exporting Iranian technical and engineering expertise—particularly in water works, civil construction, and heavy infrastructure—to foreign markets. In his view, expanding these exports is a vital lifeline required to sustain the country's construction sector amid the severe challenges of the Iranian economy.

Connections with Figures and Movements

Engineer Reza Haji Karim operates within a robust network of professional and institutional alliances among prominent figures in the Iranian private sector. At the trade union level, his close working relationships with members of the Board of Directors of the Water Industry Federation of Iran—including Bijan Saeidabadi, Amirhooshang Rezaei, Mohammad Bagher Karimi, Saeid Manouchehrian, and other board members—form his immediate professional cohort.

Within the Chamber of Commerce, his relations with other members of the ICCIMA Representatives Assembly and members of the Technical, Engineering, and Construction Services Commission—two key institutions of the Iranian private sector—shape his corporate governance and policymaking network.

At the international level, his direct correspondence with the International Water Association (IWA) and UN-Water anchors his global institutional outreach.

In the media landscape, his key collaborative links include regular engagements with Ecoiran (specifically the Meydan-e Shoaa program), Rokna, Dideban Iran, Etemad Online, Tasnim, Taadul, Qods Online, and Donyaye Brand.

Conclusion

Engineer Reza Haji Karim stands as one of the most prominent contemporary private sector leaders in Iran's water industry. Blending technical engineering expertise, a pivotal role within trade union leadership (as Chairman of the Board of the Water Industry Federation of Iran), and active participation in the Chamber of Commerce hierarchy, he occupies a unique position in the country's industrial-analytical landscape. His distinct analytical framework, which prioritizes a management crisis over an absolute resource shortage, combined with a highly covered media profile and active international informal diplomacy following the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, paints a picture of a multifaceted technical leader.

Haji Karim’s defining characteristic is his data-driven, realistic methodology. By using precise supply-to-demand metrics, he isolates governance failures as the source of the water crisis rather than natural resource limitations—a position that directly challenges mainstream narratives of absolute scarcity. Furthermore, his capacity to balance his official responsibilities as a corporate spokesperson with independent, structural public critiques sets him apart. Ultimately, the developmental and environmental challenges he continues to highlight—ranging from the collapse of infrastructure and basin depletion to the economic stagnation of the construction industry—remain central to the contemporary Iranian discourse on sustainability and survival.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is Reza Haji Karim?

Engineer Reza Haji Karim is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, a member of the Technical, Engineering, and Construction Services Commission of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, and an assembly representative within the ICCIMA. He is recognized as a key private sector authority on the analysis of Iran's water crisis.

What is the Water Industry Federation of Iran?

It is an independent, non-governmental umbrella organization operating under the framework of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture. It represents the collective technical and industrial capacity of over 15,000 contracting corporations, 1,000 engineering consulting firms, and an expansive supply chain of manufacturers and technology providers in the water and wastewater sectors.

What is Haji Karim's view on Iran's water crisis?

His core thesis identifies the crisis as an issue of management and policymaking rather than absolute water scarcity. He states that Iran normalizes 100 billion cubic meters of renewable water annually against a combined drinking and industrial demand of only 13 billion cubic meters, concluding that the crisis resides entirely within the governance of the resource, not the water itself.

What is Haji Karim's stance on the Taleghan water transfer project?

He is a vocal critic of the engineering initiative designed to divert water from the Taleghan Dam to Tehran, stating that the dam itself faces complete dryness due to lack of rainfall. He also points out that Taleghan sits on the border of Qazvin and Alborz provinces, meaning its resources should not naturally be redirected to the capital.

What is his view on water rationing in Tehran?

Haji Karim was an early advocate for implementing water rationing in the capital, stating that such measures are an imminent reality and should have been executed much sooner to mitigate the catastrophic drawdown of the capital's primary reservoirs.

What is his stance on water imports?

Citing domestic hydrological resource baselines, Haji Karim asserts that importing water from external countries lacks structural necessity and long-term economic efficiency, labeling the policy completely unjustified.

What were Haji Karim's international actions following the 12-day war?

Following the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, he sent an official letter to the International Water Association (IWA) and the Director of UN-Water. He detailed specific physical damages sustained by civilian water facilities—including the Qeshm desalination plant, the Khorramabad pumping station, and the Khomein water reservoir—and urged international bodies to strictly enforce the protection of civilian water utilities during armed conflicts.

What is his view on the construction industry?

He warns that the domestic construction and civil engineering sector faces a severe decline, with firms shrinking and shutting down sequentially. He maintains that the industry can only survive if pathways are cleared for foreign investment and the export of technical-engineering services, noting that domestic strategies are ineffective without global integration.

What was the "Water Crisis and Survival" summit?

Organized by the Water Industry Federation of Iran, this press conference served as a key platform where Haji Karim presented official macro-resource data to challenge proposals regarding water imports and lay out his management-centric analytical framework.

Is Reza Haji Karim still active?

Yes. As the active Chairman of the Water Industry Federation of Iran, he remains an immensely visible analytical voice across Iranian media outlets (including Ecoiran, Rokna, Dideban Iran, Etemad Online, Tasnim, Taadul, Qods Online, and Donyaye Brand), continuously offering data-driven commentary on infrastructure vulnerabilities, dam depletion, and resource diplomacy.