Fire Erupts at Iran’s Shadegan International Wetland

A fire broke out on Wednesday at the Shadegan International Wetland in Khuzestan Province, with authorities attributing the blaze to illegal fishing using electric shock devices.

Strong winds spread the flames across sections of the wetland, reports said.

Khuzestan Governor Mohammad Reza Molaizadeh said on Thursday that most of the fire had been contained, but firefighting efforts were ongoing.

Molaizadeh ordered all agencies to deploy resources to prevent further spread and launched an investigation into the cause.

The Shadegan Wetland is on the international wetlands registry and has faced environmental problems, including drought, sewage contamination, and reduced water flows in recent years.