In a rare admission of systemic failure, Hadi Haqshenas, the governor of Gilan, has sounded the alarm over the catastrophic environmental decline of Anzali Wetland, blaming 50 years of unregulated pollution, sediment accumulation, and official mismanagement for pushing the ecosystem to the brink of destruction. Haqshenas revealed that the wetland, once 10 meters deep, has now shrunk to less than 50 centimeters, with some areas completely dried up.
An Ecological Disaster
Speaking to the state-run daily Shargh, Haqshenas detailed the drastic reduction in Anzali Wetland’s depth, which has shrunk from 10 meters before the 1979 revolution to less than 50 centimeters today, with some areas having completely dried up.
“The accumulation of industrial waste and sewage has left the Anzali Wetland gasping for breath,” Haqshenas stated, highlighting the severity of the environmental crisis.
He further warned that the contaminated runoff from the Goharrud and Zarjoub rivers is pushing the wetland toward ecological collapse, as residents in the surrounding region are now inhaling a dangerous mix of bacteria, viruses, and heavy metal particles.
Haqshenas estimated that Iran would need approximately 20 trillion tomans ($400 million) to construct essential wastewater treatment plants in major cities, but he admitted that the government does not have the funds to allocate for such projects. The lack of financial resources underscores the government’s continued failure to address Iran’s deepening environmental crises.
#Iran News in Brief
Following yet another blaze in Iran’s part of the Hoor al-Azim wetland on Sep 21, Musa Modehji, the head of the Hoveyzeh Environmental Department, stated, “Water scarcity has led to the Hoor al-Azim wetland fires in western Khuzestan.”https://t.co/G5pFsV0rFg pic.twitter.com/Z0vRfcOvD7— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 24, 2023
Iran’s Dying Wetlands
Anzali Wetland, spanning 24,000 hectares, is just one of Iran’s many endangered ecosystems. Alongside Lake Urmia and the Miankaleh International Wetland, it faces severe degradation due to climate change, mismanagement, and pollution. Environmental experts have long warned about the dire consequences of Iran’s wetland depletion, but state inaction has only worsened the situation.
Haqshenas noted that one billion cubic meters of wastewater have already accumulated in the Anzali Wetland’s lower layers, turning it into a toxic swamp. Even if all of Iran’s dredging equipment were deployed in Gilan, he said, only 30 million cubic meters could be removed, underscoring the enormity of the crisis.
Adding to these concerns, Haqshenas warned that shallow groundwater sources in Gilan province are increasingly exposed to contamination. The unchecked pollution, coupled with the region’s reliance on shallow wells, puts millions at risk of consuming polluted drinking water containing heavy metals and bacterial contaminants.
#Iran News in Brief
According to ILNA news agency, around 40% of villages in Rudbar region, in the #water rich northern Gilan Province, have access to water for just 1-2 hours a day. Infrastructural problems stem from a past earthquake, with repairs from 30 years ago now falling… pic.twitter.com/z0ew9QUCNN— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 30, 2023
Gilan’s Environmental Crisis Mirrors Broader Trends
Gilan officials have been sounding the alarm for months. On January 30, Mohammad-Ali Vishkai, Gilan’s head of crisis management, warned that rainfall levels in the province had reached historic lows, exacerbating the drying of Anzali Wetland. He also noted that dust storms—previously limited to southern Iran—are now affecting Gilan.
Furthermore, the Caspian Sea, which supplies part of Anzali Wetland’s water, has been rapidly receding, worsening the situation.
In March 2024, the Japanese ambassador to Iran announced Tokyo’s willingness to help restore Lake Urmia, Anzali Wetland, and other water bodies in Iran. However, despite this international offer, no meaningful progress has been made. The Iranian regime’s failure to accept foreign aid for environmental restoration has fueled criticism from activists and experts alike.
Haqshenas reiterated that unchecked urbanization, industrial expansion, and government mismanagement have all contributed to Anzali Wetland’s collapse. In January, he warned that sewage from major cities—including Rasht, Anzali, Someh Sara, Masal, Fuman, Shaft, and other rural areas—was flowing directly into the wetland.
“Anzali Wetland, which once had a depth of over 10 meters, is now down to just 20 centimeters in some areas. In many places, it has completely dried up,” he cautioned.
#Iran Regime Cannot Handle Environmental Crisishttps://t.co/rvfMfznxv7 pic.twitter.com/7zxqBfh21b
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 30, 2019
This environmental destruction not only endangers thousands of plant and animal species but also threatens the livelihoods of fishermen, farmers, and local communities who rely on the wetland’s ecosystem for survival.
A Disaster in the Making
The catastrophic decline of Anzali Wetland is a stark reminder of the wider environmental crisis gripping Iran. With climate change accelerating, pollution unchecked, and government inaction prevailing, the fate of Iran’s most precious natural resources hangs in the balance.
Unless immediate and large-scale interventions are undertaken, the Anzali Wetland—and many of Iran’s other natural treasures—may soon become irreversible environmental disasters.