Speaking at a meeting with the Isfahan Province’s parliamentary delegation on Tuesday, he also emphasized that managing water consumption requires serious determination and public awareness efforts.

Aref stated that plans to transfer water from the Oman Sea to central Iran are being pursued vigorously to address the region's drinking, health, and agricultural water issues.

He added that alongside these infrastructure projects, fostering a culture of water conservation and gaining the public's trust in the government's management of water consumption are key solutions to the water crisis.

Aref further highlighted that water usage in highly water-rich countries like Germany averages 140 liters per person per day, while in Iran the figure stands at 270 liters per day.

He noted that some large industrial projects were built in central Iran without considering land-use planning, and that water-intensive industries should have been located near seas or areas with abundant water resources.

This narrow focus in the past contributed to the current water crisis in the central regions, the top official criticized.

Regarding efforts to meet the province's electricity needs, Aref referred to the private sector’s role in launching the second phase of the combined-cycle power plant and the solar power plant at Mobarakeh Steel Company.

He also noted that the government has extensive plans for generating 30,000 megawatts of solar power.