Public Project
LAST BREATHE
Documentary Film:
https://vimeo.com/266604601
Password : 12301230
4,208
Azin Haghighi
Photographer
LAST BREATHE
Location: Tabriz
Nationality: Iran
Focus:
Photographer, Filmmaker, Journalist, Videographer, Politics, Video Editor, Fine Art, Science, History, Documentary, News, Video, Film, Photography, Art, Culture
Skills:
Research, Photo Editing, Exhibition Design, Multimedia Production, Photojournalism, Film Photography
1 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Sabalan Mountain located in Ardabil province is one of the highest mountains in Iran that have many natural hot water springs on its foot. For years many people visit there to swim in its springs for their therapeutic use. In last decades with rising of visitors’ number, many modern places opened there with spa and pool for tourists but these complex provide the water by mixing eighty percent of drinkable water with twenty percent of mineral waters to fill their pools. In spite of people know that, they continue using this spas and pools and waste this huge amount of pure water. Sar-e-ein – Ardabil province – Iran 2016
2 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
As soon as Western sanctions against Iranian oil imports took effect in August 2010, some petrochemical plants stopped a number of their products and dedicated those in common with other oil refineries, such as reformate, to producing gasoline. Although there has been much talking about how the use of petrochemical gas mixed with refined gas in some parts of the country has resulted in pollution, no research has proven such relationship. Undoubtedly petrochemical gas has a much higher octane rating compared to refined gas, and therefore has slower combustion and less visible pollution. This type of gasoline, however, contains aromatic compounds, benzene for example, which are cancerous. Notably, these compounds have no significant role in producing visible pollution. Petroleum ministry officials believe Tehran and other large cities do not consume petrochemically-produced gas, but gasoline from refineries nearer to them
An everyday view of Tehran city that shows its high air pollution rate.
View of a sky scraper - Tehran - Iran
3 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Beside industrial and gas-base transporting’s air pollution, using gas-burn air conditioners increases global warming in big cities of Iran. Payetakht complex-Tehran - Iran 2012
4 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Decreasing death rates caused by breathing disease, heart attack and cardiac arrest is one of the exact effects of air pollution in Iran. Shahid Radjayi Hospital – Tehran – Iran 2011
5 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Tabriz (one of the biggest cities of Iran) was one of the cleanest places in this country. But low quality fuels, drought of Urmia Lake (150 km of Tabriz, north west of Iran) , low standard industrial activities & lack of governmental management turn this city to one of the most polluted cities in Iran in last decade. Pasdaran highway Tabriz – Iran 2008
6 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Drought, lack of water sources, absence of agricultural management by government and soil erosion caused crisis in farming and animal husbandry in Iran therefore a massive population migrating from villages to town and cities that cause marginalization, unemployment and crimes such as drug selling and rubbery. Tabriz is one of the biggest cities of Iran that villager’s migration and marginalization changed its face in these last years. Tenike Darrasi – Tabriz – Iran 2008
7 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Before Iran’s 1979 revolution until Iran-Iraq’s war, petroleum mulch dispersion in Iraq’s desserts was the solution for avoiding air dust (haze) invasions to west of Iran. But after Saddam-Hussein regime’s fall and Iraq’s civil war, this activity stopped and now this massive area in west of Iran suffers from haze’s air pollution most of the time. This picture shows martyr’s photos of Iran-Iraq war in Abozar garrison (used to be a military area turned to residential complex after war) Sarpolzahab (nearest town to Iran-Iraq border) Kermanshah province – Iran 2011
8 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
North Khorasan province in is one of the most drought-suffering areas in Iran. Because of water wells’ drought, locals faces a huge crisis and they forced to provide water for their animals by bringing it with tankers from cities. This picture shows one of their donkeys trying to reach water after one day of thirst. Nomads of this area breed donkeys so locals can transport drinkable water for their villages. Ashkhaneh – North Khorasan – Iran 2017
9 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Fakhreddini villagers (that doesn’t have drinkable water at all) carry water with their donkeys of a spring 3 km away from their villages. Fakhreddini village – North Khorasan – Iran- 2017
10 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and the best kind of it grows in Iran. But local farmers of Torbat Heydariye (one of the main places to grow saffron) have to buy water from around cities and towns with an expensive price so some of them trying to get water sources by digging deep wells that harm the environment and the others quit saffron farming. A huge percent of this expensive products profit goes to traders and exporters and farmers can’t live with that low income and high-price water source. Torbat Heydariye – Khorasan Razavi – Iran 2016
11 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Sharafkhane port is one of Lake Urmia's ports. The port is in the suburbs of Shabestar in East Azarbaijan province. It is 20 km from Shabestar and 110 km from Tabriz, East Azarbaijan. As the lake started to dry up these ports have lost their function over time.Sharafkhane port- Shabestar- east azarbaijan - Iran 2015
12 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Drought, heat, and increased demand for irrigation water have been steadily shrinking the salty lake in northern Iran near the Turkish border. As the lake dries out, its salinity increases. The warm water’s high salt concentration makes what’s left of the lake a prime breeding ground for Dunaliella algae, which can turn the water blood-red. Urmia lake -Iran -2016
13 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Bari touristic complex is a touristic complex located on Urmia Lake’s coast and on the 40 kilometer distance of Salmas-Urmia road and it was a spectacular collection of natural scenes. With lake’s drought in less than ten years it became deserted and abandoned like a ghost town. Bari Complex – Ghoshchi village – West Azarbaijan – Iran
14 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Wooden hotel was built near Rahmanlou port of Lake Urmia, but it never hosted any guests Because Lake was dried out before its completion. Rahmanloo port -Ajabshir -Iran - 2016
15 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Samaneh Khabiri, 27 years old from Urmia.She suffers from respiratory disorders .Samaneh has been referred to several specialist and has been diagnozed" as seasonal allergy resulting from the Urmia's polluted air condition ;she has been recommended to change the place she lives in".In recent years there has been the reported evidence of respiratory disorders among the people living in the Urmia's dried Salt Lake adjecent neighborhood. The picture has neen taken in one of the dried almond garden near her home. Urmia city - west Azarbaijan - 2017
16 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Mehdi Hamidi, 33 years old activist from Tabriz, is sentenced to 15 months in prison because of his activities to protest against the drought of Lake Urmia. After serving his sentence, he returned to study Sociology in Tabriz University. Lake Urmia has been a sensitive subject in Iranian politics for years. As recently as 2011, environmental protestors were jailed en masse for drawing attention to the catastrophic situation. This project is the result of a collective undertaking of Iranian photographers who hope to raise awareness about this tragic story.Sharafkhane port - shabestar - Iran - 2015
17 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Shows Iranians spending time in Urmia Lake near Urmia, North-western Iran. A family of bacteria called Halobacteriaceae may also play a role: These salt-loving organisms use a red pigment to absorb sunlight and convert it into energy, so large amounts of them in the water may be contributing to the ruddy hue. Lake Urmia’s color-changing process has happened before. Spring rains and melting snow from nearby mountains normally wash freshwater into Lake Urmia, helping to stabilize its salinity and thus its color. But as drought and agricultural use persist in the region, red waters may become a more common sight. Urmia lake - west Azarbaijan - 2016
18 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Shows Iranians spending time in Urmia Lake near Urmia, North-western Iran. A family of bacteria called Halobacteriaceae may also play a role: These salt-loving organisms use a red pigment to absorb sunlight and convert it into energy, so large amounts of them in the water may be contributing to the ruddy hue. Lake Urmia’s color-changing process has happened before. Spring rains and melting snow from nearby mountains normally wash freshwater into Lake Urmia, helping to stabilize its salinity and thus its color. But as drought and agricultural use persist in the region, red waters may become a more common sight. govarchin Ghale - west Azarbaijan - 2016
19 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
Local sheep owners have to bring water with tankers for their animals.
This herd runs to newly arrived tanker to drink water after four day of thirst. Ashkhane -north khorasan - Iran 2017
This herd runs to newly arrived tanker to drink water after four day of thirst. Ashkhane -north khorasan - Iran 2017
20 of 20
© 2025 Azin Haghighi
the concentrations and the sources of heavy metals including Zn, Cu, Pb, Fe, Ni, Cr, Co and Mn, and (2) the contamination levels of metals in the dust of Bushehr (an urban area) and Assaluyeh (an industrial area) located in the province of Bushehr, southwestern Iran. Also, the transect between the two cities was investigated as a non-urban area. Fifty dust samples deposited on date palm leaves and 50 surface soil samples were collected. The mean concentrations of heavy metals in dust from the three areas were found to be higher than those of the nearby soils except for Co in Assaluyeh and Pb in Bushehr. Zn, Cu and Pb concentrations in dust samples from industrial and urban areas were higher than those in samples taken from the non-urban area. The results indicated minimal pollution levels of Mn, Fe and Cr, minimal to moderate levels of Co, moderate levels of Ni, moderate to significant levels of Cu, significant levels of Zn, and significant to very high levels of Pb in dust. The two main sources of different heavy metals in atmospheric dust deposited on date palm leaves were identified based on principal component analysis, cluster analysis and correlation analysis. Zn, Cu, and Pb seem to have anthropogenic sources, whereas Fe, Ni, Cr, Co, and Mn in atmospheric dust presumably derive from non-anthropogenic sources. In general, the implementation of environmental standards and improvement of the public transportation system are required to reduce the hazardous pollutants released into the atmosphere. Asaluyeh -bushehr- Iran 2010
Close
Documentary Film:
https://vimeo.com/266604601
Password : 12301230
