A memorandum of understanding was signed on Thursday between the National Environment Fund and the Austrian RBI Bank.
It was signed by Mohammad Mojabi, deputy head of Iran’s Department of Environment, and Karl Sevelda, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International in the presence of Austria’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Andra Rupprechter.
Rupprechter stressed his county’s “deep interest in developing multilateral relations with Iran” and expressed readiness for “cooperation and exchange of knowledge and expertise with regard to the environment,” IRNA reported.
Mojabi, who doubles as vice chairman of the National Environment Fund, expressed gratitude to the Austrian minister, adding that the agreement will “help the fund support projects involving waste and wastewater management, remote monitoring and pollution measurement” by offering loans to help research into cutting-edge technology.
A 12-member team of park rangers will be dispatched to Austria next month for training on the invitation of the government in Vienna, according to Mehr News Agency.
“The MoU is a step toward reenergizing financial relations with Iran after the lifting of sanctions,” said Sevelda, referring to the removal of international sanctions in January following the historic nuclear agreement last year between Iran and the six world powers (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany).
He added that a credit line has been established by this government for environmental projects and a delegation will travel to Iran over the next few weeks to study and help execute projects.
