Hamun Wetland Registered on UNESCO List

According to reports from Iran, Hamun Wetland has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site during the Fourth World Congress of Biosphere Reserves held in Lima, Peru. The Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency of Sistan and Baluchestan, Saeed Mahmoudi, stated on the first of Farvardin that 'despite the difficulties and hardships, a significant event occurred at the meeting in Peru, and Hamun Wetland has been registered on the UNESCO list of international reserves.' Mahmoudi mentioned that the registration took place 'despite the ongoing sabotage by some reactionaries.' However, the report did not provide details about these 'sabotages' or the individuals involved. According to IRNA, with the registration of this wetland in UNESCO, 'international budgets for wetland management will increase, and the issue of Hamun's water rights will be pursued more vigorously.' Iranian officials say that the restoration and protection of Hamun is specifically dependent on its water rights, which involves a legal claim regarding Iran's rights to the Helmand River in Afghanistan. The Helmand River flows from Helmand Province into Hamun Lake in Sistan and Baluchestan, and disputes over this issue have persisted for years between Iran and Afghanistan. Hamun is one of the wetlands and lakes in Iran that is in a critical condition. Last autumn, the Iranian government sent a bill for the protection, restoration, and management of Iran's wetlands to the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Hamun Lake is among the wetlands that are included in the new government's protection plan. Reports from Iran indicate that 'the drying of Hamun Wetland' is one of the reasons for the dust storms in the Sistan and Baluchestan region. Hamun Lake is the third largest lake in Iran. Iran now has 11 registered reserves in the UNESCO list, an increase from 10.