Aliyev Warns of 'Disastrous' Decline in Caspian Sea Levels; Northern Iranian Ports at Risk of Becoming 'Unused'

Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, warned on Monday during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about the 'disastrous' decline in the water levels of the Caspian Sea. At the same time, an Iranian government official warned that the 'retreat of the Caspian Sea' could render the northern ports of the country unusable. Aliyev stated during the press conference in Baku that Azerbaijan and Russia have agreed to analyze and address this 'environmental disaster.' The meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin took place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Monday, August 29, 1403 in the Iranian calendar. The Russian President did not comment on this issue. An Azerbaijani official told Reuters that increased evaporation due to climate change and the diversion of the Volga River for irrigation are two major factors contributing to the decline in the Caspian Sea's water levels. According to him, changes in the Caspian Sea's water levels have impacted environmental and economic sectors, including oil and gas operations. Baku will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November of this year. Scientific studies indicate that the water level of the Caspian Sea, which has fluctuated significantly over the past century, has particularly declined since the mid-1970s in the Iranian calendar. Morteza Rahnama, head of the Iranian Meteorological and Atmospheric Sciences Research Institute, warned on Monday that the continued retreat of the Caspian Sea would lead to the northern ports of the country becoming unusable. He stated that in this case, the ports 'would need to be moved to deeper parts of the Caspian Sea. Additionally, the moisture source for the region would diminish, leading to increased intensity of climate changes.' The head of the Meteorological Research Institute emphasized that the continued retreat of the Caspian Sea in certain areas, such as the eastern parts of the sea like the Gorgan Gulf, could turn this area into a dust center. Meanwhile, air pollution and the influx of dust storms in Iran are on the rise, with reports indicating that 60% of Iran is affected by dust storms; the Iranian Environmental Organization states that areas in northwestern Iran are facing a new wave of dust storms originating from Turkmenistan. Mansour Sohrabi, an ecology and environmental expert, previously told Voice of America: 'Dust storms in Iran have both internal and external sources, but the main issue relates to internal sources, not foreign countries.' He added: 'The path taken that has led to the drying up of Iran's wetlands and has involved many regions of the country and all of Iran in dust storms is due to the mismanagement of the Islamic Republic.'