Baku holds protest against draining Lake Urmia in Iran

Today, about 50 activists of different youth organizations of Azerbaijan held a picket near the Iranian Embassy in Baku with a demand to save Lake Urmia from ecological catastrophe.

This unique water body is located in the north-west of Iran in the region, inhabited mainly by ethnic Azerbaijanis. In recent years, due to irrational use of water resources the lake dries up.

The participants of the today's action in Baku chanted slogans demanding to take measures to prevent the ecological catastrophe. Besides, slogans of political nature could be heard, demanding unification of Northern Azerbaijan (Republic of Azerbaijan) with Southern Azerbaijan (Iranian Azerbaijan), "Let Azerbaijan be united state with its capital in Tabriz!" and "United Azerbaijan will save Urmia!"
As noted in the resolution, passed by the picket, "Urmia is the largest lake in Southern Azerbaijan; it was recognized by the UNESCO to be a world-value monument of nature."

The Iranian authorities are building dams in the lake; and the unique water body gradually dries up, the resolution said.

"Experts warn that unless immediate measures are taken, the lake will completely dry out in 6-7 years," said Samir Turan, one of the protesters and the head of the youth committee of the World Congress of Azerbaijanis.

The police hampered the picket and did not let the protesters close to the embassy; however, serious incidents were noted, and nobody was detained.

Nobody from the Iranian Embassy staff came out to the protesters; and they dropped the resolution into its mailbox.