TEHRAN – Iranian Department of Environment Chief Ali Salajegheh in a meeting with French Ambassador to Tehran Philippe Thiebaud emphasized the need for international cooperation on sand and dust storms (SDSs) control.

The two officials stressed the need to pay attention to the environment in the global context, noting that the issue of the environment is a global issue, which should be prioritized for all countries.

The issue of the environment in our country is subject to oppressive sanctions imposed by the U.S., and we call on the French government, as the current chair of the European Union, to cooperate in establishing interaction between other countries and Iran on the environmental issues, Salajegheh stated.

Tehran will host an international meeting on controlling sand and dust storms in July, with the presence of the ministers of 12 countries.He called for the lifting of sanctions and the creation of the necessary conditions for receiving international financial assistance for the implementation of environmental projects in Iran.

He also cited another effect of the brutal sanctions on the Iranian nation as preventing the transfer of environmental equipment and technologies, such as pollution monitoring stations.

Dust storms and the impact of this environmental problem on the European Union have doubled the need for international and regional cooperation, and all countries must play a constructive role in this regard.

Fortunately, Iran has a wide variety of climatic conditions and biodiversity, and this capacity can play a valuable role in the exchange of information and students.

Thiebaud also for his part said that the cooperation between Iran and France has a long history, expressing hope for the development of bilateral cooperation on various issues, including in the field of environment.

Emphasizing the need for global convergence and action to implement climate change programs, he said that we hope by reducing and lifting sanctions, Iran can join the Paris Agreement.

 Dealing with SDS

The SDSs phenomenon has been plaguing the country for several years and has caused problems in many provinces. According to experts, natural and human factors are involved in the occurrence and severity of this phenomenon which is mainly caused by excessive consumption of water and drying up reservoirs.

Tehran will host an international meeting on controlling sand and dust storms (SDSs) in July, with the presence of the ministers of 12 countries that give rise to the highest amount of dust, IRNA reported.

It is therefore planned to implement a regional action plan for the Persian Gulf, especially for the countries with the highest dust emissions, Ali Mohammad Tahmasebi, head of the national working group for SDS mitigation, stated.

“There are numerous bilateral and multilateral agreements with neighboring countries, including Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, but no operational action has been taken, so the agreement alone is not enough and this issue should be resolved with the help of international institutions.

FB/MG