TEHRAN –Ali Salajeqeh, head of the Department of Environment (DOE), has announced the country’s readiness to provide Iraq with assistance to preserve the environment.

Salajeqeh met with the Iraqi ambassador to Iran, Naseer Abdul Mohsen Abdullah Al-Kawari, in Tehran on Sunday.

The officials highlighted the significance of enhancing collaborations between the two countries, Mehr news agency reported.

During the meeting, Al-Kawari proposed establishing a critical environmental committee between the two countries and holding regular meetings to address environmental challenges like sand and dust storms.

“Water scarcity and desertification are critical issues that worsen with the passage of time; soon European countries will face the same challenges. Therefore, global cooperation is essential for addressing these issues,” the Iraqi official stated.

Salajeqeh, for his part, stressed that one of the basic strategies of Iran’s diplomacy is boosting cooperation with Iraq in various fields such as environment, economy, social, and tourism.

Referring to previously agreed pilot plans, he said, “We are optimistic that environmental issues, particularly sand and dust storms, reach field work.”

The official said that Iran is also willing to jointly create green spaces and implement waste management projects during the Arbaeen pilgrimage in the holy city of Karbala.

Educating individuals and raising public awareness play a pivotal role in preventing many problems. However, it requires both countries’ cooperation, Salajeqeh further noted.

Combating SDSs

In August 2023, Iran and Iraq signed an agreement to implement joint pilot plans to deal with sand and dust storms in four provinces of Iraq and two provinces of Iran.

On his trip to Baghdad, Ali-Mohammad Tahmasbi, the secretary of the national policymaking headquarters for dealing with sand and dust storms, met with Mithaq Abdul-Hussein Obaid, the technical undersecretary of Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture, agreed on jointly implementing the plans in the four Iraqi provinces of Dhi Qar, Al-Muthanna, Wasit, and Maysan, as well as the two Iranian provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan within the next two months.

The two sides also discussed different possible ways to deal with desertification, reduce the impacts of climate change, remove barriers to food security, and manage sand and dust storms, IRIB reported.
Tahmasbi emphasized the need to boost cooperation in this regard, announcing Iran’s readiness to study cases of desertification in border areas.

Obaid, for his part, said that solving the problem of sand and dust storms in the region requires the cooperation of West Asian countries, including Iraq, Kuwait, and Iran.

On August 1, a delegation led by the secretary of the national policymaking headquarters for dealing with sand and dust storms started a four-day visit to Iraq to follow up on previous agreements in this regard.

The visit aimed to implement the sub-regional action plan to deal with sand and dust storms, form a regional technical working group, and carry out joint projects to curb hotspots of sand and dust storms, IRNA reported.

Tahmasbi said bilateral and multilateral memorandums of understanding have been signed with Iraq, but unfortunately have not yet been implemented.

The SDS phenomenon has been plaguing the country for several years and has caused problems in many provinces.

According to studies, eight large sand and dust storm hotspots stretching to 270 million hectares in neighboring and Persian Gulf countries are affecting Iran.

Regional maps show that Saudi Arabia produces the highest level of particulate matter, followed by Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and the UAE, respectively.

MT/MG