TEHRAN – An afforestation project across one thousand hectares area of land around the city of Tehran was inaugurated on Sunday, IRNA reported.

The development of afforestation around the capital (in the form of a green belt) aims to prevent the uncontrolled development of suburban construction, create beautiful areas, clean the air and improve the conditions of the urban environment.

The predominant plant species planted are selected from native species resistant and adapted to climatic conditions, including common ash, Judas tree, locusts, hawthorn, honeyberry, almond, Tehran pine, oak, and juniper.

This project was implemented on the occasion of the National Week of Natural Resources (March 6-13).

With the development of one thousand hectares of forestry in the southern slopes of Alborz and around the city of Tehran, the area of the green belt reached more than 45,000 hectares.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday warned against “the great blight” to the ongoing process of environmental degradation, urging both people and officials to resist natural resource destruction.

Environmental destruction will endanger the “future of human beings,” the Leader said after planting two fruit tree saplings on the occasion of National Tree Planting Day.

He emphasized the need to prevent incidents such as forest fires, noting that those in charge who are not committed to their duties should be held accountable.

National Tree Planting Day is annually celebrated on the fifteenth day of Esfand, the last month on the Iranian calendar, which usually corresponds with March 5. The day marks the beginning of National Week of Natural Resources.

FB/MG