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Armenia threatening Araz River

19 October 2015 15:38 (UTC+04:00)
Armenia threatening Araz River

Industrial waste containing chemicals and discarded dam residues containing microbe pollutants have been spilling into the Araz River in Armenia.

The water carries the pollutants into Iran, killing aquatics and polluting agricultural products, Mehr news agency reported October 18.

Araz as the most important northern Iranian river has not only been threatened by pollutants, but a general drought as well has reduced its water volume greatly.

There is also the possibility that mineral waste from Armenia will be added to the pollutants of the river, which will turn the river into Iran’s second largest environment issue after Lake Urmia.

The Araz River makes border between Iran and two northern neighbors Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Recently local Iranian residents have also reported that domestic wastewater from Armenia is also spilling into the river.

Mohammad Hassannejad, a local representative to the Parliament, said waste from copper mines in Armenia is found in the water, notifying a huge catastrophe.

Director of Iranian East Azerbaijan Province’s Environment Protection Organization Hamid Qasemi said numerous meetings have been held with Armenian officials where the Armenian officials acknowledged responsibility for the pollution and were obliged to use recycling systems for discarded dams.

Iranian MP Kamaladdin Pirmoazen said in early July that waste material from Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant and aluminum plant poured into Araz River pollute the river and pose threats to the wildlife and people living in the surrounding areas.

Iran and Armenia have boosted mutual cooperation on monitoring the river, witnessed by the launch of a joint committee for decision-making regarding the river, Shina Ansari, director of Pervasive Monitoring at Iran’s Department of Environment told Trend July 29.

Last year Iran bought three highly advanced and very expensive devices for testing the heavy metal and pesticide content of the river’s water in three provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, and Ardabil which are situated along the river, Ansari stated.

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