Dying Lake Urmia reflects a broader problem in Iran In the words of a former agriculture minister, water shortages are making Iran an 'uninhabitable desert.' LAKE URMIA, Iran — An eerie and forlorn tableau greets visitors to the arid shores of this once-vast lake in Iran's far northwest. Rusting ships sit wedged in deep black mud. Stray dogs nibble on rotting planks from long-discarded beach chairs and derelict bungalows.
March 21, 2014 - Los Angeles Times