Iran Suggests Formation of Regional Council to Tackle Sandstorms

President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday suggested the establishment of a regional council focused on conserving the environment.
“To follow up on the topic of dust storms, a regional council to protect the environment should be formed,” the president was quoted as saying by his official website during the first meeting of the high council of environment since he took office.   
The remarks came after a devastating spring for Iran and the Middle East as frequent and intense sandstorms struck the area, disrupting flights and everyday life and endangering the lives of the locals. 
The president pointed out that he welcomed cooperation with international organizations to tackle the problem, but a “localized” approach was necessary. 
He instructed the Department of Environment, headed by Vice President Ali Salajegheh, to formulate a scientific response to the problem of storms of dust and particles. 
High-speed winds increased sands and dust in the air on Tuesday, making air quality “unhealthy” for sensitive groups, but the storm was expected to pass in a couple of hours. 
Emergency units were ordered to be prepared for any problem that could arise from the extreme winds. 

Tehran on Alert 

Strong winds of up to 80 kilometers per hour hit the capital on Tuesday, head of the provincial government’s crisis management Hamed Yazdi Mehr said. 
“The speed of the [wind] is dropping. The origin of this phenomenon is absolutely domestic,” Yazdi Mehr noted. 
The high-speed winds were especially felt in western parts of the capital, where visibility was cut and it became harder to breathe for residents. 
Years of water and land mismanagement in the Middle East finally caught up with the region this spring as arid lands turned into new sources of dusts and particles that blanketed the area and rushed sensitive groups to emergency units complaining of difficulty breathing. 
Iran has been enlisting the help of neighboring nations to tackle the issue. Last week, Salajegheh made a trip to Baghdad and Damascus to discuss sandstorms and sign agreements that would facilitate cooperation.
According to the official, the government is entering into dialogue with Saudi Arabia through third parties to formulate an effective response. 
The next countries with the most impact on Iran’s environmental problems are Iraq and Syria. Both countries have expressed readiness to cooperate with Tehran to face the exacerbating issue. 
Desert greening and other measures are currently being discussed as possible long-term solutions.