TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei planted two fruit saplings in Tehran on Tuesday to mark the national Week of Natural Resources and delivered a short speech calling for protection of the environment.
After planting the two saplings in a ceremony to mark the national Week of Natural Resources and Tree Planting Day, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the need to protect Iran’s plants, forests and grasslands and said officials should prevent the destruction of trees in cities.
The Leader further urged the relevant organizations, including the Agriculture Ministry and the Energy Ministry, to take the issue of watershed management and planting trees seriously.
Back in November 2015, in a letter to heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Iranian government, Ayatollah Khamenei had outlined 15 environmental policies developed in consultation with the Expediency Council in line with implementing the first paragraph of Article 110 of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Constitution.
Development of an integrated national environmental system and the necessity for comprehensive, coordinated and systematic management of the country’s vital resources (including water, soil, air, and biodiversity) are among the most important policies underlined in the letter.
The general policies call for criminalization of destruction of the country’s environment and punishment for polluters and destroyers of the environment.
Management of climate change and countering environmental threats including desertification, dust pollution, drought, and bacterial and radioactive transmission factors as well as the study and management of emerging environmental phenomena are also among the key points in the general policies.
They necessitated the expansion of “green economy” by laying emphasis on the use of clean energies, organic agriproducts, and waste management as well as the promotion of green public transportation system.
They also urge the reinforcement of Iran’s environmental diplomacy through establishment of regional bodies to counter dust and water pollutions, and the reinforcement of bilateral, multilateral, regional, and international collaborations in the field of environment.
Effective use of international opportunities and incentives on the path toward low-carbon economy and facilitation of the transfer and development of related technologies and innovations are also among the policies outlined by the Leader in the letter.