The shutdown of desalination plants in the Gulf region would be disastrous for the residents of the desert region.
The 9 million residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, may have to urgently leave the capital suddenly deprived of water. In Doha, Qatar, should the population fear death or disease due to lack of drinking water?
This is the threat that Tehran now brandishes. Donald Trump warned that he would strike Iranian power plants if the country did not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Iran responded that it would then attack the energy and “vital” infrastructures of the region, especially desalination facilities. The President of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that these infrastructures could be “irreversibly destroyed.”
Some desalination facilities have already been affected, on the Iranian island of Qechm near the Strait of Hormuz, where the site was visited by the United States, Tehran claims; and in the island state of Bahrain. The damages are limited for now.
[Context: The article discusses the potential consequences of the shutdown of desalination plants in the Gulf region due to tensions between countries in the area.] [Fact Check: The reliability of the reported events and statements should be verified to ensure accuracy.]
