TEHRAN —Iran and Italy inked a memorandum of understanding to extend environmental cooperation agreements previously signed between the two countries.

The chief of Iran’s Department of Environment Masoumeh Ebtekar and Italian Minister of the Environment Gian Luca Galletti inked the MOU in Tehran on Saturday, the Department of Environment official website reported.

“Nations and governments that value the environment would try to protect it on international scale by strengthening global cooperation,” Ebtekar said.

In 2014, when Iran and Italy negotiated the possibility of initiating environmental cooperation for the first time Italy used to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and was determined to develop and foster environmental cooperation, she highlighted.

Minister Galletti , for his part, pointed out that “Over my two-day trip to Iran I have got satisfactory results and I hope we can step towards better environment both in Iran and the whole world,”.

That the previously signed memorandum of understanding went into effect is only because of efforts Iranian chief of Department of Environment have expended, Galletti added.

Iran and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding for the first time in April 2015. A joint committee was formed to follow up on implementation of 10 projects such as setting up solar plants, mitigating air pollution, waste and wastewater management, etc. eventually three of the projects got approved by the committee and went into effect.

A group of European officials namely Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director-General for the Directorate-General for Environment [the European Commission department responsible for EU policy on the environment], United Nations Environment Program Executive Director Erik Solheim, Italian Minister of the Environment Gian Luca Galletti paid a visit to Iran to take part in the opening ceremony of 16th International Environment Exhibition on Friday.

MQ/MG