The Great Hor in ahwaz at risk: drought caused by dams and oil extraction 

International reports have warned of the deterioration of the Great Hor in Ahwaz due to drought caused by dam construction on rivers and pollution from Iranian oil companies, leading to a significant drop in remaining water levels.

Iranian occupation activities have severely degraded the exposed mudflats in the wetlands, turning them into a major source of toxic dust storms in Ahwaz. This has worsened the already highly polluted air, posing severe health risks to millions of Arab residents in Ahwaz.

For decades, Iranian colonial exploitation of Ahwaz’s land and resources has transformed the region from fertile, pristine lands into vast barren terrain. The development of the Sohrab oil field is the latest in a long line of colonial projects raising environmental concerns over the deterioration of the Huweiza wetlands in Ahwaz.

For centuries, these wetlands have been a crucial wintering ground for migratory birds, boasting the highest diversity and density of winter birds.

Additionally, the wetlands, home to various fish species and approximately 107,787 birds, have played a vital role in sustaining bird populations in the region.

Since the discovery of oil and the start of drilling operations, the Huweiza marshlands have experienced a continuous decline in water levels.

There is growing concern that further water supply reductions and the expansion of oil drilling operations could result in the complete desiccation of the wetlands, leading to catastrophic environmental consequences.

The man-made drought in the Huweiza marshlands, which the United Nations has recognized as one of the most severe environmental crises of the 20th century, has caused nearly 80% of the site to dry up, primarily due to Iranian oil extraction activities.

One-third of the Huweiza wetlands lies within the Ahwazi side of the border with Iraq, under Iranian regime control.

The oil exploration process in the Huweiza wetlands involves identifying oil-rich areas, draining them, and constructing roads, factories, and drilling platforms in these dried-out zones.

This has created a vicious cycle, where continued oil extraction leads to further drying of the wetlands, causing severe environmental problems in the region.

Iranian-occupied oil exploration companies have divided the Huweiza marshlands into five reservoirs, numbered from one to five.

The Azadegan, Yaran, and Yadavaran oil fields operate within reservoirs three, four, and five.

As a result of these oil fields, these three regions have turned into barren desert landscapes, contributing to increased sandstorms.

Furthermore, Iranian occupation policies in the wetlands of Ahwaz threaten the extinction of birds, wildlife, and fish, as their habitat relentlessly dries up and becomes polluted with oil-contaminated wastewater discharged by oil companies.