President Hassan Rouhani said environmental issues have topped the government's agenda since it took office in 2013.
"Despite facing many political, economic, cultural and social problems from the beginning of its term in office, including security concerns in relation to the conflicts raging in neighboring [and regional] countries, the government has never neglected the important issue of environment," he said.
Speaking at an international conference on environment in Tehran on Saturday, Rouhani was quoted as saying by IRNA, "The government began its work with a focus on the environment and achieved its first success after Zayandehroud River and Hamoun Lake were revived."
The president noted that the government was happy to take effective steps to address air pollution and dust storms.
"This government can be aptly called the government of environment," he said.
Rouhani stressed that measures to save the environment will never prove effective if parallel efforts to raise public awareness about the significance of nature conservation are lacking.
"In order to have a healthy environment, a key step is to create a cultural movement in the society. Our children should be taught how to live without harming the planet from the first years of school," he said.
He added that achieving peace depends on promotion of sustainable development.
"We should all fight extremism, violence and terrorism to prevent their destructive impacts on the environment. We should help create a world free of violence and extremism," Rouhani said.
