BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. Iranian media reports that Armenia's persistent pollution of the Araz River literally reflects the pollution of the ecosystem, Trend reports.
Iranian media outlets published an article with facts and research confirming that Armenia is engaged in persistent pollution of the Araz River.
The article contains a large number of government and university research, and statements by officials of relevant agencies, members of parliament, and university professors.
The piece states that Iran has many government documents and university research that indicate that the process of Araz River pollution has been going on for a long time. These documents and research confirm that the Araz River has been continuously polluted with heavy metals for at least 15 years. Thus, the constant inflow of heavy metals into this river has a serious negative impact on the vegetation, flora, and wildlife around it.
The Araz River is mainly polluted with elements such as aluminum, copper, manganese, arsenic, lead, and vanadium, which come from Armenia's mines and the Metsamor nuclear power plant. Research conducted last year on the Araz River in the sections before and after the Nurduz Pass confirms that the river is polluted with heavy metals.
According to the research, Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi declared last August that the Araz River water would be transported to Tabriz to meet drinking water needs. He also stated that 2.5 million residents of the cities of Jolfa, Hadishehr, Marend, Sufian, and Shabistar will be provided with this water. Earlier, the governor of East Azerbaijan Province also labeled the transportation of water from the Araz River to Tabriz as a “strategic project”. However, past research indicates that the Araz River is seriously polluted with heavy metals. This issue has been confirmed by the Iranian state. However, Armenia, which is the party polluting the Araz River, is not taking steps to remedy the problem.
The research shows that as many as 59 metals have been detected in the water of the Araz River on the Iranian side near the village of Jananli, and 61 metals have been detected in the sediments of the river. The identified metals correspond to metals discharged from the Agarak copper and molybdenum mine in Armenia. The hardness of aluminum exceeds the country, environmental and health standard. Mangi's hardness is higher than Iran's standard. High lead content in the river water may be hazardous for drinking and fish.
The study says that with the contamination of the Araz River by the Metsamor NPP, diseases such as stomach cancer have increased in the region. This was especially true in the provinces of Ardabil, East and West Azerbaijan. Occupying the 22nd place among the country's provinces in terms of population, Ardabil ranks first in gastrointestinal cancer incidence.
The research emphasizes that although an agreement was reached between Iran and Armenia in November 2023 to eliminate the pollution of the area within the next year, there are no concrete results and no serious steps are being taken by Armenia, which is the cause of the pollution.
To note, Iranian and Azerbaijani media publish articles and op-eds related to the ongoing pollution of the Araz River by Armenia.