Zarif Urges Close Regional Cooperation to Solve Environmental Woes

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says incorrect policies in the region have led to environmental problems, including desertification, dust pollution and water shortage crises.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 16th Iran International Environment Exhibition in Tehran on Friday, Zarif invited all neighboring countries to engage in close environmental cooperation with Iran.

Iranian minister invited all neighbors of the Islamic Republic to launch a joint project to counter the environmental threats in the region.

Some of the areas in Iraq where sandstorms originate are under the control of the DaeshTakfiri terrorist group and have turned into battlefields, hindering a response to environmental issues in those territories.

  “The Islamic Republic of Iran extends its hand of cooperation to all its neighbors in order to provide a better life for our children through a joint project and to counter the threats that the present generation and future generations face,” he added.

He described such cooperation as a “political and security imperative and not just an environmental necessity” and expressed hope that the leaders of regional countries would succeed in solving the issues.

Environmental cooperation can help build confidence among regional countries, he said, adding that all states in the region regardless of their policies need to strengthen their cooperation in this sector.

Zarif further expressed hope that all countries would also boost their cooperation to solve common challenges in all other fields, including economy and poverty alleviation and the campaign against terrorism and extremism.

“Green Economy, Resilience Economy” was the motto of the four-day exhibition which was kicked off in Tehran in the presence of 300 domestic firms and 20 foreign companies.

The exhibition is underway in Tehran as the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan is reeling from heavy floods and dust storms, a situation which has led to disruption to the distribution of water and electricity supply in the province.

JCPOA Proper Opportunity for Settling Environment Problems, Says Ebtekar

On her part, Vice-President and Head of the Department of Environment Masoumeh Ebtekar said that Iran nuclear deal has paved the ground for the expansion of environmental cooperation between Iran and the international community.

Ebtekar described the historical deal also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a proper opportunity for exchanging information’s with other countries in environmental arenas.

Ebtekar underlined that the environmental issues could not only be settled at the national or regional levels and are in dire need of global will.

In view of the problems that are prevalent in the field of dust particles over past years in some provinces, she underscored the JCPOA has created a proper opportunity for settling this dilemma.

UN Environment Program Executive Director Erik Solheim, Italian Minister of the Environment Gian Luca Galletti, German State Secretary at the German Environment Ministry (BMUB) Jochen Flasbarth, Secretary-General of the European Environmental Bureau Jeremy Wates as well as a number of foreign diplomats and envoys, environment activists and NGO members attended the exhibition.

PRESS TV/ IRNA

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