Lake Urmia was once one of the biggest saltwater lakes in the world

As the lake shrank, the land became less accommodating. The vegetation died off, and the bustling lakeside resorts turned to ghost towns. It wasn't long before Daryani came to the same crushing recognition as many of the local residents. "We realised it was going to disappear. It was shrinking to nothing."

Watching your home environment waste away is heart-wrenching for any community. Watching the collapse of a regional economy that supports five million people is a national disaster.