Disaster in Iran: Lake Urmia Has Completely Dried Up

An environmental disaster has occurred in Iran: Lake Urmia, Asia's largest saltwater reservoir with a history of over 4,000 years, has completely dried up. This vast lake in the country's northwest, once ten times the size of Europe's Lake Constance, has now turned into a salt-covered desert. Satellite images show that as of summer 2025, only a few puddles remain of the lake.

Environmentalists and Iranian opposition media consider the disappearance of Urmia a catastrophe for which the government is to blame.

They believe that years of poor water policy have led to these tragic consequences. According to Iran News Update, there are over one million illegal wells in the country that have recklessly depleted groundwater reserves.

The situation has been drastically exacerbated by agriculture, which consumes an incredible 88% of Iran's water resources while contributing only about 10% to the country's GDP. As a result of this inefficient management, the country uses 43 million cubic meters more water each year than natural sources can replenish.

The seriousness of the crisis has also been acknowledged by the country's leadership. In July, President Masoud Pezeshkian admitted that "Tehran really has no more water." According to him, the situation is so severe that authorities are even considering the possibility of relocating the 15-million-strong capital.

The disappearance of Urmia has already dealt a severe blow to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. The region now suffers from salt storms. They destroy the fertile layer of the soil and make agriculture almost impossible, leaving the local population facing an uncertain future.