Give your heart to the sea by Masood Talebi

‘Give your heart to the sea, if there is water hidden in it.’ It may be hard to believe, but what once had a long history of shipping, boating and swimming has now become a tragedy. Lake Urmia in Iran is the largest saline lake in the Middle East, and the sixth largest saltwater lake in the world. However, the lake has been in a drought crisis for nearly a decade, and is on the verge of destruction through a combination of factors including climate change, damming projects and the excessive use of groundwater for agriculture. Salinity and excessive salt saturation, as well as desertification, results in salt storms and dust, which are a serious threat to the environment, agricultural sectors and the people of northwest Iran. Masood Talebi has been documenting the lake for about 12 years, in the hope that the international community will respond to the disaster.