Shina Ansari, the head of Iran’s Department of Environment warned on Thursday, January 30, about the critical state of the country’s environment, stating that 43% of Iran’s wetlands are at risk of drying up and have turned into dust storm hotspots.
According to the state-run Didbaniran website, during her visit to Isfahan province, Ansari stated that industries and agriculture have expanded in the Zayandeh Rud watershed and other regions with high water consumption, despite Iran facing a severe water shortage crisis.
She explained that due to decades of neglect toward environmental issues, Iran is now in a critical situation. This problem is evident not only in Isfahan but across all 31 provinces of the country, except for Gilan.
The head of the Department of Environment also noted that Kerman province and the Rafsanjan plain experience the highest levels of land subsidence. In terms of land area, Khorasan Razavi is the most affected province, while Isfahan ranks highest in terms of subsidence affecting residential and urban areas.
Last year, the state-affiliated news agency Tasnim warned about the consequences of wetland desiccation, stating: “The failure to allocate environmental water rights and the drying up of wetlands occur despite the Comprehensive Water Law, which mandates that environmental water rights should be prioritized after drinking and sanitation needs and before agriculture and industry. However, in practice, this law is not enforced.”
Masoud Bagherzadeh Karimi, Deputy for Wetlands and National Parks at the Department of Environment, also stated on August 2, 2024: “Human interference is the main cause of wetland drying, and drought is an additional factor.”
According to this report, the destruction of wetlands and the government’s disregard for their role in the ecosystem are occurring despite Iran being, in a way, the founder of World Wetlands Day.
With the signing of the “Ramsar Convention” on February 2, 1971, in the city of Ramsar, the oldest international treaty focused on wetland conservation and biodiversity protection was established, with Iran playing a central role.
Wetlands play a crucial role in oxygen production, water storage, water purification, carbon sequestration and storage, nutrient production, and soil stabilization.
In a report published in March of this year, the World Resources Institute identified Iran as one of the 25 countries facing the most severe water scarcity and stress, attributing it to “decades of poor water management and unsustainable water use for agriculture.”
