Historical sites demarcated in West Azarbaijan to curb illegal digging, land grabbing

TEHRAN – Nearly all historical and archaeological sites in northern parts of West Azarbaijan province have recently been demarcated in a bid to restrict illegal digging and land grabbing, CHTN reported on Wednesday.

108 NGOs active in Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN – Some 108 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working in three fields of environment, sustainable livelihood development, and surface water control with the aim of revitalizing Lake Urmia.

Islamic-era tomb-chamber, skeleton discovered in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – A human skeleton has recently been discovered by a team of archaeologists while conducting a demarcation survey across Geoy Tepe in northwest Iran.

$152m more earmarked to Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN – A new budget amounting to 6.4 trillion rials (nearly $152 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) will be allocated for the Lake Urmia revival, which will be spent on completing semi-finished projects, head of the Lake Urmia Conservation Program has announced.

SDSs generated by Lake Urmia hotspots reduced by 90%

TEHRAN – After the beginning of restoration measures, the sand and dust storms (SDSs) generated by Lake Urmia hotspots has been reduced by 90 percent, even has reached zero in some critical areas, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program has said.

By Afshin Majlesi

The absolutely magnificent ‘Gold Bowl of Hasanlu’: Sixty-three years later

TEHRAN – Sixty-three years ago, an Iranian man, named Emamqoli Mohammadi Hasanluei, unearthed a millennia-old gold bowl in the debris of a burned building, part of the major architectural complex at Teppe Hasanlu near the city of Naghadeh in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, a short distance south of Lake Urmia.

Jameh Mosque of Urmia undergoes new round of excavation

TEHRAN – An archaeological project has been commenced on the eastern side of the centuries-old Jameh Mosque of Urmia, which stands tall in the city of Urmia, the capital of northwestern East Azarbaijan province.

Four archaeological hills being demarcated in Miandoab

TEHRAN – Teams of Iranian archaeologists have commenced separate surveys to demarcate four archaeological hills situated in Miandoab county, northwestern West Azarbaijan province.

Non-revival of Lake Urmia could cause $1,000 billion loss

TEHRAN – Although Lake Urmia’s revival will cost around $1.5 billion, not implementing the revival plan would inflict a loss of $1,000 billion to the country, Issa Kalantari, chief of the Department of Environment, has said.

Drought may reverse Lake Urmia’s revival in coming years: experts

TEHRAN – Two Iranian scientists have warned that Lake Urmia’s revival trend may probably reverse over the coming years due to drought spells, though the lake has been filled mostly by the above-normal rainfall since the past crop year (September 23, 2019).

Reviving Lake Urmia hosting large flocks of flamingos

TEHRAN – Large flocks of flamingos are returning to Lake Urmia as the lake is being revived after years of dryness, ISNA reported on Thursday.

Lake Urmia to be fully revived within 7 years

TEHRAN – With the complete implementation of two water transfer projects, Lake Urmia will be completely restored by the Iranian calendar year 1406 (March 2027-March 2028), the Department of Environment (DOE) chief has announced.

Lake Urmia being revived ‘slowly, but surely’: UNDP

TEHRAN – A combination of man-made efforts and higher rainfall in recent years is “slowly, but surely reviving what was once the second largest saltwater lake in the world,” Claudio Providas, Resident Representative in Iran for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has stated.

Measures to revive Lake Urmia ‘an example to inspire us all’: Gary Lewis

TEHRAN – Gary Lewis, director for disasters and conflicts at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), praised Iran for measures taken to revive the Lake Urmia.

Comprehensive tourism plan to be formulated for Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Iran’s West Azarbaijan province aims to develop a comprehensive tourism plan to boost tourism around Lake Urmia, which was once the largest salt-water lake in West Asia.

First medical tourism center under construction in Urmia

TEHRAN – The first medical tourism center in Urmia, northwestern West Azarbaijan province, is under construction with 30 percent completion so far. 

Over $1b spent so far to revitalize Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program in October 2013, a total of 4.6 trillion rials (more than $1 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been spent, Masoud Tajrishi, director of the planning office of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program, has announced.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Lake Urmia in best condition over past decade

TEHRAN – About 10 years ago, Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran, began its gradual death. Photos of the country's largest saltwater lake were going viral those days, worrying every Iranian. But the lake is now experiencing its best condition over the past decade, turning back to the former glory.

Lake Urmia level rises by half a meter year on year

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia water level has increased by 50 centimeters compared to the same time last year, Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program’s office in West Azarbaijan province, has announced.

Rainfall increases Lake Urmia level

TEHRAN – Recent rainfall has increased the level of Lake Urmia to 1,271 meters, a step closer to its ecological level of 1,274 meters.

FAO, ULRP, IRIMO have conducted a drought vulnerability and impact assessment in the Urmia Lake basin

The initial findings of a drought vulnerability and impact assessment in the Urmia Lake basin conducted to help the implementation of an integrated drought management system in the region have been further re-examined and validated by FAO and Iranian experts at Tehran.

Lake Urmia water level keeps rising

TEHRAN – The level of water at Lake Urmia is on the rise, as increased by a 1.7 billion cubic meters compared to the previous year, according to the studies conducted by the Lake Urmia restoration program committee.

Urmia-Mashhad passenger train route launched

TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways launched a passenger train route on Sunday, stretching some 1,650 kilometers from the northwestern city of Urmia to the holy city of Mashhad in the northeast.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Iranian northwestern national parks share incredible biodiversity

TEHRAN – The precious national parks of northwestern Iran are the most diverse of any in the country, differing from rainforest to wide shrub lands which share a great biological diversity, this time we will take a quick look at three incredible national parks located in East Azarbaijan province.

International contribution ‘not sufficient’ for Urmia Lake restoration

TEHRAN – International contribution to revive Urmia Lake is not sufficient, as only Japan has provided an annual financial assistance amounting to $1 million since the past six years, National Wetlands Conservation Project manager, Ali Arvahi, has said.

Lake Urmia water level rises by 1 meter

TEHRAN – The level of water at Lake Urmia has increased by 1 meter in the current water year (began on September 23) compared to the same period last year.

$47m earmarked for Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN – A total budget of 2 trillion rials (nearly $47 million) was approved to be allocated to the Lake Urmia restoration program, government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Wednesday.

Lake Urmia water level on the rise

TEHRAN – The level of water at Lake Urmia increased by 1.04 centimeters on Tuesday compared to the same day last year, according to the studies conducted by the Lake Urmia conservation program committee.

Safeguarding our vanishing treasure; National Park of Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – The National Park of Lake Urmia, home to several precious species and amongst 59 biosphere reserve areas, is severely threatened by many years of drought so that it needs to be restored urgently to avoid the extinction of highly adapted species.

Urmia Lake’s current condition desirable; is it temporary?

TEHRAN – Heavy rainfall doused the country this year, made many of us to forget water scarcity and dying of Urmia Lake; many believe that the crisis has already been resolved, while deputy environment chief Masoud Tajrishi told Khabaronline on Wednesday that there is not much time left to resolve the issue and “we need to act as soon as possible.’”