Minster: Iran and Azerbaijan must agree on water use from Araz River
If Iran wants to use water from the Araz River to fill drought stricken Lake Urmia, it must coordinate this issue with Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyn Bagirov said on Wednesday.
"The decision on this issue can only be taken on the basis of the existing agreements," the minister told the media.
A project to direct 600 million cubic meters of water from the Araz River into Lake Urmia was launched during a visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and members of the government to Tabriz in 2010. It was planned to allocate $1.2 billion to implement this project.
Bagirov said that there is agreement on the joint use of the Araz River by Azerbaijan and Iran.
"If the Iranian side officially appeals to us, all aspects of the issue, not only from the environmental, but also political, economic and other aspects may be thoroughly analysed.
"The agreements signed between Azerbaijan and Iran have determined the environmental norms and water volumes that can be used by the parties, as well as which equipment and facilities can be established and built on this river," he said.
According to official figures, some 70 per cent of Lake Urmia spanning 6,000 square kilometers is shallow. Currently, a liter of lake water contains up to 400 grams of salt. Previously, the amount of salt per liter of water was 160-170 grams.
The drying of the lake has an impact on the flora and fauna of the region, which alarms international organizations and regional countries.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has allocated $ 135 million to Iran to address environmental issues of the shoaling Lake Urmia.