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Iranian media: Armenia's pollution of Araz river with heavy metals harms ecosystem and environment

27 February 2025 17:59 (UTC +04:00)

The Iranian newspaper "Payam-e Ma" has prepared an research article on the pollution of the Araz River, APA reports.

The points raised in the research raise serious concerns about the pollution levels of the Araz River.

Iran is concerned about Armenia’s pollution of the Araz River

The research by "Payam-e Ma," a leading Iranian publication specializing in environmental issues, titled "Pollution of Araz: A Puzzle Made More Complex with Every Answer," was prepeared based on over 50 sources, including Iranian government documents, academic studies, and surveys, and interviews conducted by the newspaper’s staff.

The material touches upon Iran’s plans of using the Araz River water for the drinking water supply of the city of Tabriz. It is mentioned that this issue became particularly relevant after the summer of 2023, when the Nehand Dam dried up, resulting in a drinking water problem in Tabriz.

It is noted that in September 2024, when the country’s Minister of Energy announced it would start the project to transfer water from the Araz River to provide drinking water for Tabriz and small cities along the route Julfa, Hadishahr, Marand, Sufian, and Shabustar, it has caused concern.

"The reports from official Iranian authorities, such as the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the relevant Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and the Environmental Protection Organization, confirm that the water of the Araz is polluted with heavy metals.

The water of the Araz has been polluted with aluminum, arsenic, copper, manganese, molybdenum, lead, vanadium and other heavy metals, causing serious damage to the river's ecosystem and the environment," the newspaper writes.

The Metsamor NPP's pollution of the Araz River has led to an increase in stomach cancer cases in Ardabil

The research further notes that based on scientific research and expert opinions, the primary cause of water pollution is the discharge of waste into the Araz River from Armenia's copper mines and the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP): “The pollution of the Araz River by Metsamor NPP has led to an increase in diseases such as stomach cancer in the region. This particularly affects the provinces of Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, and West Azerbaijan. Ardabil, which ranks 22nd in terms of population among the country's provinces, is in first place in terms of gastrointestinal cancer incidence.”

The research highlights that while an agreement was reached in November 2023 between Iran and Armenia to eliminate the pollution of the Araz River within the next year, no concrete results have been achieved, and no significant steps have been taken by Armenia, which is the source of the pollution.

Iranian and Azerbaijani media are constantly focusing on the topic

The issue of pollution of the Araz and other transboundary rivers by Armenia has long been raised by both Iran and Azerbaijan. Numerous research articles, analyses, and reports have been published in both Iranian and Azerbaijani media on this topic.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that Armenia's industrial enterprises have a significant impact on the pollution of the Araz River, leading to drinking water shortages and other problems.

Azerbaijani NGOs’ letter to Nikol Pashinyan

This issue is also consistently highlighted by Azerbaijan as a serious problem. In July 2023, Azerbaijan's non-governmental organizations sent an open letter to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding the environmental instability caused by Armenia's mining industry in the South Caucasus region.

The letter emphasizes that waste from the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine and the copper-molybdenum combine in Kapan, which contains heavy metals like chromium, nickel, copper, molybdenum, zinc, aluminum, vanadium, and lead, has polluted the Okchuchay and Araz Rivers and the mining wastes of the Akarek (Agarak) Copper-Molybdenum Combine poison the Araz River via the Kerchivanchay (Karchevanchay) River.

The letter lists other activities of Armenia that have caused ecological disasters, urging the Armenian government to immediately stop its mining industry activities, which are endangering the region and our planet, and to adopt decisions that ensure sustainable development and a healthy future for the regional population.