FM blames dust stomrs, water shortage on wrong regional policies

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 16th International Exhibition on Environment, he called on all Iran’s neighboring states to begin a serious and convincing cooperation with Iran in the field of environment.

Zarif urged Iran’s neighbors to cooperate with the country to work out a joint program to counter threats posed against environment by the oppressive regimes in the region, especially the regime of the executed dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussein and certain extremist groups such as Daesh.

He further pointed out that Iran is extending its hands for cooperation with all its neighboring states under a joint program to ensure a better future for children of the region and counter threats faced by the current and future generations.

The measure is not only an environmental necessity but also a political and security one, Zarif said, noting that what all countries need irrespective of their policies is collaboration in the field of environment.

The 16th Iran International Environment Exhibition kicked off in Tehran on Friday with the participation of the United Nation 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 and Secretary-General of the European Environmental Bureau Jeremy Wates as well as a number of foreign diplomats and envoys, environment activists and NGO members.

Some 300 domestic and 20 foreign companies from Germany, South Korea, UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, China, Sweden, Finland, New Zealand, France, Japan, Russia, Norway and Austria are participating the four-day event.

8072**1394