Araz News: on Tuesday 28 July, Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said:”Iran will not start transferring water from the Caspian Sea to revive drying Lake Urmia, as long as the environmental concerns on the project are not removed.”, Trend agency reported.

He made the remarks during an open session in the parliament on July 28 while responding to the MPs questions on the ministry’s measures to revive the lake.

Chitchian emphasized that there is no delay in the implementation of the energy ministry’s announced plans to restore the lake, Iran ’s official IRIB news agency reported.

Lake Urmia, located in northwest Iran is experiencing its worst drought in many years, where over 90 percent of its area has dried up. The level has been declining since 1995. Officials have warned if serious steps are not taken, the lake will be turned into a swamp within a few years, which will force millions of Iranians to migrate to greener pastures.

It was earlier announced that the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) would carry out environmental studies of transferring water from the Caspian Sea to Lake Urmia.

The drying process is halted and the water reduction has decreased from 2.5 billion cubic meters per year in 2007 to 100 million cubic meters in 2014, the minister said.

Previous reports said Lake Urmia needs 3.1 billion cubic meters of water per year to survive.

Experts say billons tons of salt will destroy the human and wild life in region being spread by wind and millions will be forced to displace.

Many blame Iranian government of carelessness against the major environmental disaster. Even some people accuse Iranian state to intentionally leave the lake to be dried.

President Rouhani promised to rescue Lake Urmia during his electoral campaign. Recently he issued an order to launch rescue operation. But up to now almost nothing is done.

South Azerbaijan is an ethnically problematic region in Iran which Iran spends efforts to hold the nationalist tendency of region under control. South Azerbaijani Turks seek their national rights despite governmental suppression.

Azerbaijani Turks are second largest ethnic group in Iran with a slight difference after Persians.

Lake Urmia Crises escalates political tensions in the region. Some violent protests erupted in the region related to Lake Urmia.