Neighboring countries blocking water inflows into Caspian Sea: Official

Iran’s environment chief says water levels at the Caspian Sea are going down as the inflow of water is blocked by neighboring countries.

“Water inflows, especially the one through the Volga River, into the Caspian Sea have been blocked by the neighboring countries,” said Ali Salajegheh, the head of the Department of the Environment.

“Moreover, rainfall has dropped in the entire catchment basin of the Caspian Sea,” he added.

“Water inflows into the Caspian Sea have decreased and water levels at the sea are falling,” he noted.

“Some figures and data suggest the sea has receded for nearly a meter in the past 4 to 5 years,” said the official, adding, “The Caspian Sea recedes for 20 centimeters a year on average.”

“We hope to be able to settle the issues of the water right and contamination within the framework of the Tehran Convention,” he noted.

“We hope the neighboring countries will reach agreement and the issue of water rights is resolved to restore the flow of water into the Caspian Sea,” he explained.

Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan Republic, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan are the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea.

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