Massive sandstorms continue to plague the Al-Ahwaz region of Iran. They are caused by water heavy pollution of wetlands, lakes and rivers and Tehran's gross water mismanagement. The storms have severe impacts on the economy and livelihood of millions of people in Al-Ahwaz.
Meanwhile, environmental activists are being arbitrarily arrested and detained (unpo.org/article/20620).
One of the key factors forgotten by analysts when looking at Iran’s popular breakdown is the rampant discontent regarding environmental governance. The infamous Lake Orumiyyah’s case best illustrates water mismanagement in Iran. This issue touches upon many others, but essentially concerns ethnic minorities that are politically and economically neglected at first. Minority-inhabited territories are generally rich in resources and agricultural potential, but exploitative policies coupled with water mismanagement have serious impacts countrywide and are severely affecting their living conditions. The environmental crisis hits more severely minority regions. In Balochistan for example, Lake Hamoon has been totally dried out. In Al-Ahwaz, the Hor Al-Azim and the Flaheih marshlands are dramatically shrinking. Moreover, changing local plants like palm trees into sugarcane exploitation plans into huge industrial agro-projects led to water shortage and lands salinization. This mismanagement and negligence are leading to an environmental crisis but also has other detrimental impacts. This contributes to food insecurity, mass migration, health hazards, soil deterioration and desertification.
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