Dr Salam Abdulqadir Abdulrahman has published an interesting research article on the increasing practice of cloud seeding (artificial rain) in the world with a focus on the Middle East and its relation to peace and security in the region.  

The article titled Cloud seeding in the Middle East: a problematic solution to freshwater shortage published in the International Journal of Environmental Studies. The journal is indexed in Scopus Quartile 1 and available on Additional Web of Science database.

Dr Abdulrahman is a fulltime lecturer at the College of Law and Politics at the University of Human Development. He has published several papers on water and environmental problems in Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the Middle East. His research interests are Water Security; Environmental Security; Environmental Sustainability; topics related to Environmental Issues and International Relations; Environmental Issues and International Security; International Relations Issues, Political, Economic and Social; and International Security. 

In his recently published article, Dr Abdulrahman argues that the increasing practice of cloud seeding in the Middle East is problematic and cites several reasons, among them: science is not absolutely sure that the process increases rain; the process may take away an area’s rain, which would have otherwise fallen, to another area; the public can be made to believe that their rain has been stolen by another state; and tension and conflict can arise as a result. Added to the above problems is severe shortage of freshwater in the Middle East which makes fight over the scarce resource more probable. The author recommends the withholding of the process and relying on other and rather conventional methods for increasing freshwater.

Here is the abstract:

Several Middle Eastern states seed clouds to help overcome the problem of deficit in freshwater supply. The global result of cloud seeding is far from certain, but Middle Eastern states are prepared to take the risk to increase their freshwater resource. There is no agreement between the stakeholders. Iran accuses several upwind states of stealing its clouds and reducing its rain. This paper looks at the cloud-seeding operations in the world with a focus on the Middle East. Cloud seeding is far from certain and it creates security concerns for downwind states or regions. International regulation seems to be required after a large-scale review of all the evidence from cloud-seeding endeavours.