The Wire

Environmentalists in Iran are coming up against fierce government clampdowns as they fight to raise the profile of a shrinking lake. Many Iranians fear if the salt-water lake dries up it could force millions of people to move, and cause irreversible damage to the land.

Orumieh, near Iran’s border with Turkey, spans 5000 square kilometres, and is home to hundreds of bird and animal speciesBut campaigners say voicing fears about the lake is proving difficult when the government is hostile to any form of protest or debate.