Lake Urmia, located in Iran and considered the largest salt water body in Asia, has completely dried up. This situation is causing great discussion not only among environmentalists, but also among the public and opposition media.
Officials emphasized that the lake's disappearance is directly linked to the government's water policy. According to reports, more than a million illegal wells have been drilled in the country, and groundwater levels have sharply decreased. At the same time, while the agricultural sector consumes 88 percent of total water resources, it accounts for only 10 percent of the economy's GDP.
Ecologists note that the drying up of Lake Urmia has caused serious environmental problems. In particular, as a result of the drought, winds intensified, making it practically impossible to engage in agriculture. This creates a serious threat to food security and the well-being of the population in the region.
It is noted that the disappearance of the lake can lead not only to an ecological, but also to a socio-economic crisis.
