To: His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations – New York
With the utmost respect, I am writing this letter as a continuation of my previous efforts, including a letter I sent in 2014 to then-Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon. That letter was delivered by myself from California to the UN Headquarters in New York via official mail, email, and personal visit, with the aim of bringing attention to the voice of a people suffering from discrimination, neglect, and widespread crises.
Today, however, those crises—particularly the one concerning Lake Urmia in the province of West Azerbaijan, Iran—have reached a critical level. This lake, once recognized as one of the largest saltwater lakes in the world and a pillar of the region’s environmental, cultural, economic, and social identity, now stands on the brink of total collapse.
The drying of Lake Urmia is not merely a natural or climatic phenomenon. It is a human disaster, with consequences expanding into the lives of millions: forced migration, destruction of traditional livelihoods, rising health issues, dust storms, and social erosion are only part of the fallout.
As a citizen and a journalist, I respectfully call upon Your Excellency and all relevant United Nations bodies — including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Special Rapporteurs on issues related to environment, health, sustainable development, and the right to water — to take immediate and direct action regarding this crisis.
I also urge the global community — free media, civil society institutions, and academic groups — to echo the voice of the people in this region, to generate the necessary pressure for action by governments, and to contribute scientifically and practically to efforts to restore the lake.
Lake Urmia is not merely a geographical location in Iran; it is a living memory for millions, now vanishing amid global silence.
I respectfully request that, with the same human dignity the United Nations has shown in responding to other global crises, this matter be addressed urgently and with full commitment.
A copy of my original 2014 letter to then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is attached for your reference.
With deepest respect,
Akbar Lakestani
July 2025
Iranian-American journalist
Former Chairman of the City Council of Showt, West Azerbaijan
Resident of the United States of America
Cc (For appropriate action and consideration):
– UNEP Executive Director
– UNDP Administrator
– UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Water
– UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment
– UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health
– UN Special Rapporteur on Sustainable Development
– Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
– Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations
– International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
