Lake Urmia in northwest Iran

TEHRAN, Oct. 22 (MNA) – Located in West Azarbaijan province, Lake Urmia is considered the largest saltwater lake in Iran. Continuous declines in water flowing into the lake have caused a general decline in its surface area since 1995.

 Persistent drought, dam-building, and agricultural activities contributed to the lake's depletion leading to excessive red algae growth and soaring salt content.