Nine small earthquakes struck the Pardis area east of Tehran overnight on May 12 and 13, 2026, including a M4.6 event near the border of Tehran and Mazandaran provinces, renewing attention on seismic risks around the Iranian capital.
A rare severe convective setup is forecast to develop across the Gulf region, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and eastern Saudi Arabia, on March 26–27, 2026, as a deep low-pressure system and strong upper-level trough interact with high instability and wind shear. The environment may support organized thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, alongside heavy rainfall, hail, and damaging winds.
A large-scale storm system is forecast to bring heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across parts of the Middle East, including Iraq, Iran, and the Gulf states, between March 25 and 31, 2026, raising flood risk in urban and desert regions. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have issued warnings for unstable conditions with rain, strong winds, and reduced visibility, while flooding has already caused fatalities in Oman. Parts of the region might see a year’s worth of rain or more through the course of the event.
A powerful dust storm swept through Sistan and Baluchestan on June 1, 2025, causing over 1 500 people to seek medical help and prompting the closure of government offices and major roads.
At least nine people died and 86 were injured in Iran due to severe storms in early May 2025, with significant damage reported in Karaj and Tehran.
Severe dust storms swept across Iraq and Iran on Saturday, December 14, 2024, injuring at least 65 people and prompting officials to close schools and cancel flights. In Iran, the storm was described as one of the worst in recent years.
Heavy rains led to severe floods in the southern province of Kerman on Monday, September 30, 2024, claiming the lives of 15 people.
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M4.9 hit northeastern Iran at 09:54 UTC on June 19, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).
As of April 23, heavy rainfall in Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran, has resulted in at least 10 fatalities, displacement of approximately 3 000 people to evacuation centers, and widespread infrastructural damage. Over 46 000 residents have been affected, with critical supplies dwindling and forecasts predicting more rain.
In a significant escalation of Middle East tensions, Israel has reportedly conducted targeted airstrikes on Iran on Friday, April 19, 2024. The strikes were in direct response to a substantial Iranian assault that utilized drones and missiles against Israeli territories on April 13, marking one of the most severe conflicts between the two nations in recent history.
