TEHRAN – The head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, has elaborated on different measures taken to address environmental challenges, saying that national security cannot be realized without paying attention to the environment.

Environmental degradation, air and soil pollution, and the destruction of protected areas have shown that environmental security is directly tied to national security, she noted.

In a press conference on the occasion of the National Environment Week, being observed from June 6 to 12, Ansari said that over the past Iranian year (March 2025 –March 2026) apart from environmental challenges like drought, climate change, and dust storms, the country went through complicated situations experiencing the irreparable harms caused by the two imposed wars (the 12-day war in June last year, and the recent 40-day war) on civilian, cultural, and environmental infrastructures.

“Despite all these challenges, the Department of Environment has stood by the people and the country, striving to mitigate the adverse impacts and strengthen national security.”

The national resilience depends on environmental security. Without clean water, air, fertile soil, and sustainable biodiversity, it is impossible to talk about sustainable security, Ansari added.

Referring to the theme of World Environment Day 2026, ‘Act Now for Climate’, Ansari said this year’s theme highlights that despite all the problems and obstacles, continuous commitment and efforts are required to address environmental challenges, particularly regarding climate change, to enhance resilience in various sectors.

The action plan to address sand and dust storms is approved, and it is being implemented in hotspots. The establishment of a forest firefighting center to increase national operational capacity is on the agenda.

To mitigate air pollution, the DOE supplied about 421 million liters of low-sulfur fuel oil to power plants and scrapped 530,000 worn-out cars.

Despite water scarcity, the national wetlands working groups were held regularly to manage water resources and ensure their water rights,” Ansari stated.

Following the outbreak of the imposed war, the DOE, as the responsible organization for the protection of the country’s environment, has conducted some field, technical, and multilateral inspections in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman to monitor marine environmental risks.

Referring to waste management, Ansari noted that the DOE’s main approach focuses on recycling, upcycling, and moving towards a circular economy; an approach that, in addition to protecting the environment, also helps develop environmentally friendly businesses and create green jobs.

According to Ansari, restoring the role of the DOE in implementing the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity is one of the most important measures of the current administration, which contributes to integrating policies and implementing Iran’s commitments to biodiversity.

Over the past year, DOE also developed a national comprehensive plan, setting its strategic goals for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by the Iranian calendar year 1430 (March 2051-March 2052), and the number of protected areas under the supervision of the DOE increased from 327 to 330, accounting for 12 percent (19.8 million hectares) of the country’s land area.

The official went on to say that the department is documenting the damage done to environment sector and will follow up on the legal actions against the US-Israeli assaults to defend the country’s environmental rights in the global community.

MT/MG