Tehran, May 26, IRNA - A deputy head of Irans Environment Department blamed three Central Asian countries for causing pollution through their oil and gas production activities.
Parvin Farshchi said Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan account for the bulk of oil and gas pollution in the Caspian Sea due to their exploration, extraction and transfer activities, SHANA reported on Tuesday.
Irans share of the Caspian Sea pollution is mainly due to agriculture wastes and wastewaters, she said.
Farshchi said industrial pollution is threatening the Caspian Sea environment. This pollution flows into the Caspian Sea mostly from Russia due to widespread industrial activities around Volga River, she said.
Farshchi said 60 percent of Caspian oil pollution comes from coastal areas.
A large number of old oil wells in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are no longer economical and they have been abandoned, she said.