Araz News: Gorbanali Saadat, governor of West Azerbaijan province expressed about 6 million people are living around Lake Urmia and unless something done for it these people will be forced to displace.

South Azerbaijani website, Oyrenci Sesi (Voice of Student) reports the governor, making speech in a meeting of environmental administration officials of West Azerbaijan, stated the government has recently launched rescue operation of the lake.

Lake Urmia, second largest salt lake in the world, in South Azerbaijan (north western Iran) has dried largely during the last years.

Critics blame Iranian state of bad water resources management.

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.