TEHRAN – Earth Hour 2026, a symbol of commitment to the planet, was observed this year while the country is undergoing an illegal war coordinated by the United States and Israel, with detrimental impacts on the environment.

The event is held annually on the last Saturday of March for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., with people from all over the world showing that they care about the future of our planet by switching off for one hour.

Organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Earth Hour is a worldwide movement that encourages individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off unnecessary lights, and electrical gadgets to reduce energy consumption, even if for one hour, and show they care for the environment.

The movement started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. Iran joined this world event in 2011 by turning off the lights of the Milad tower in the capital, Tehran.

This year, however, the event is being held in Iran as the world is witnessing the aggressions against our land and the martyrdom of our innocent fellow men. As ever, Iranian people have shown their unity and solidarity in face of hardships and difficulties.

We mark the Earth Hour as the sound of explosions echoes across our nation. We turn off lights in memory of those martyred in the U.S.-Israeli brutal war, to remind that Iranians remain committed to protecting the environment and moral values even amidst the war.

We join this global event because the Earth is the shared responsibility of all human beings. We switch off non-essential lights to convey the world the message that we care for the planet.

Environment is a silent victim of wars

Shina Ansari, the head of the Department of Environment, has said that the environment is a silent victim of wars, highlighting the irreparable impacts of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on the environment. 

“Unfortunately, the effects of wars persist for years on a land and its nature. With every explosion, the environment is harmed. Bombs and explosives not only kill and injure fellow human beings but also hurt Mother Nature by sending toxic gases and particles into the air, threatening public health and safety.”

According to her, when wars break out, the news usually focuses on the tragic loss of human lives, injuries, and damage to buildings and infrastructure. But behind these visible horrors lies a similarly harrowing, though less visible, consequence of wars—one that rarely gets the attention it deserves: the long-lasting harm war does to the environment.

“When a region is attacked, it’s not just people and property that pay the price. The natural world suffers too, often in ways that take decades to heal—if they ever do. The damage to wildlife habitats, forests, and ecosystems can be devastating and sometimes permanent.

The environmental cost of modern warfare is often ignored, yet its effects reach far beyond the conflict zone and affect the adjacent areas. It endangers ecosystems, human health, and the future of all who share this Earth. To truly address this crisis, environmental concerns must become a central part of global security conversations, and those responsible for such destruction must be held accountable as war criminals.”