Urmia: Reza Rahmani, governor of West Azarbaijan Province, Iran, and secretary of the National Task Force for the Rescue of Urmia Lake, visited the lake on Monday to assess the environmental status of its islands and wildlife refuges. The lake's water volume has increased about fifteenfold compared to previous years, reaching around 3.8 billion cubic meters as of May 8, with its surface area now estimated at roughly 3,000 square kilometers.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the visit aimed to evaluate the current environmental conditions and the impact of increased water levels on the lake's ecosystem. The assessment is part of ongoing efforts to preserve and restore Urmia Lake, which has faced significant ecological challenges in recent years. The rise in water volume is seen as a positive development for the region's biodiversity and habitat restoration initiatives.