Tabas Salt Lake gains national natural heritage status
Tabas Salt Lake has been officially registered on Iran’s National Natural Heritage List, according to an announcement by a natural heritage registration expert from the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization of South Khorasan Province.
Zahra Rezaei Malakouti said the proposal for registering Tabas Salt Lake was reviewed and approved during a session of the National Heritage Registration Council, held at the Registration Office of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts. Following this approval, the lake was officially inscribed on the list of nationally protected natural sites, chtn.ir wrote.
She explained that the seasonal lake is located south of the city of Tabas, near the village of Fahalonj, on the edge of the Salt Desert.
Malakouti added that both major and minor rivers originating from the elevated areas surrounding Tabas Basin channel annual rainfall runoff into the basin, forming a striking seasonal lake that retains water for several months each year.
She noted that due to the high salt concentration of the seasonal rivers and intense evaporation in this desert region, the water contains large amounts of mineral compounds. These minerals, combined with salt, lead to the formation of sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt.
The expert emphasized that this rare and scenic area holds exceptional significance among the province’s natural sites. Its considerable tourism potential and strong capacity to attract visitors were cited as compelling reasons for its documentation, protection, and designation as a nationally recognized natural heritage site.