In Iran, Lake Urmia, Asia’s largest salt lake, which is over 4,000 years old, has completely dried up. Scientists are calling this an unprecedented ecological catastrophe that threatens dust storms, the contamination of soil and water resources, and severe consequences for the region’s climate and agriculture.
A massive ecological disaster has occurred in Iran: Lake Urmia, Asia’s largest salt lake, has finally dried up. The body of water, which was over 4,000 years old and once provided millions of people with water, is now just a cracked salt desert. This was reported by Iran International.
Satellite images published by IranWire confirm that only salt and dust remain of what was once the Middle East’s second-largest lake. Ecologists warn that the dried lakebed could become a source of powerful dust storms, threatening not only Iran but also neighboring countries. An additional danger comes from heavy metals and toxic substances that could enter the air, soil, and water resources.
Back in the 1980s, Urmia stretched 140 km long and 55 km wide, ranking as the sixth-largest salt water body globally. By 2025, the lake retained only about 4% of its water, having essentially ceased to exist.
Experts attribute the disaster to a combination of climate change and government mismanagement. According to researcher Aida Tavakoli, the tragedy was caused by prolonged droughts, inefficient water management, and the massive diversion of water for agriculture. For decades, Iranian authorities rerouted rivers for irrigation, with the annual water over-extraction amounting to about 43 million cubic meters. Over a million illegal wells further exacerbated the situation by depleting groundwater.
In July, President Masoud Pezeshkian admitted: “Tehran truly has no water left.” According to media reports, authorities are even considering the possibility of relocating the capital, home to over 15 million people.
Scientists and opposition publications are calling the disappearance of Urmia an “unprecedented ecological catastrophe” whose consequences could be devastating for the climate and agriculture of the entire region.
