Water transfer as a solution to water shortage: A fix that can Backfire.

Highlights: [•] Assessment of water transfer as a solution to water shortages in central Iran. [•] Developing a system dynamics model for the Zayandeh-Rud River Basin. [•] Understanding the casual relationship between different components of the problem. [•] Identifying the main driver of water shortages in the basin. [•] Providing policy insights based on the Fixes that Backfire system archetype. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]