Afət Ziyadqızı
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the Leaders’ Summit of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), held in Yerevan. In his remarks, Pezeshkian spoke about the severe damage to the environment, energy infrastructure and the global ecosystem caused by military operations and tensions involving the United States and Israel in the Middle East.
The Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the Iranian president said military conflicts lead to the destruction of energy facilities, large-scale fires and the release of hazardous pollutants into the atmosphere, posing serious threats to biodiversity and nature.
Pezeshkian stressed that armed clashes destroy forests and wetlands, sharply reduce water resources and disrupt fragile ecosystems. He said dangerous processes are also becoming widespread, including wildlife being driven from its natural habitats and chemicals and heavy metals leaking into soil and bodies of water.
The Iranian president said the effects of such destructive damage can persist for decades after active hostilities end. “The destruction of the environment is a direct and bitter consequence of war and poses a serious risk to the existence of future generations,” he added.
Warning that potential environmental disasters are not confined to local areas, Pezeshkian called on the international community to take urgent action:
“This is not a problem limited to the internal borders of a single country: nature recognizes no political borders. Pollution of water, soil and air crosses national borders in a short time and affects the entire region. For this reason, the environmental damage caused by armed conflicts must be carefully assessed internationally, and coordinated decisions must be made.”
Pezeshkian stressed the need for the international community to take adequate and effective steps to address the environmental consequences of military aggression, including damage to Iran’s natural environment.
