Azerbaijan, Baku, April 12/Trend M. Moezzi
The Iranian Energy Ministry's goal is to reduce water used for agriculture by 10 percent this year Mehr news agency quoted energy minister as saying.
The goal is among the Energy Ministry's highest priorities this year (Iran's solar year ended on March 19), Iranian energy minister Majid Namjoo said.
The minister also called the recent signing of a water pact between Iran and two neighbors as the country's most important water agreement during a century. Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan agreed to use each other's water during President Ahmadinejad's visit to Tajikistan.
Desalinization of sea waters in the north and south of Iran is also on the ministry's priority list with one project starting next week. The projects will help provide Iran's central region with water besides its coastal areas.
Last year about 15 dams were built across Iran and 7 were put into service, adding 12.5 billion cubic meters to Iran's water storage capacity.