Araghchi Calls for Accountability for Environmental Destruction in War at Tehran Conference

Iranian official Seyed Abbas Araghchi addressed the international conference "Ecocide: the Silent War Crime" in Tehran on Sunday, stating that the environment is humanity's shared heritage and should not be a victim of short-term economic or military calculations. He emphasized that the term ecocide is structurally similar to genocide and goes beyond a war crime against the environment, proposing "nature-killing" as a Persian equivalent.

Araghchi detailed how war damages water, soil, air, forests, farmland, energy resources, natural habitats, and biodiversity, with effects persisting for years or decades after conflicts end. He cited environmental devastation in Gaza, where the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has reported unprecedented damage, including the destruction of olive groves and contamination of water and soil. In Lebanon, fires destroyed forests and tens of thousands of olive trees. In Iran, UNEP confirmed in March 2026 that attacks on oil facilities released hazardous compounds, leading to the "black rain" over Tehran.

To address these issues, Araghchi called for three axes of international cooperation: strengthening legal frameworks and clear criteria for identifying and addressing severe environmental destruction; creating scientific and impartial mechanisms to document damage from armed conflict; and developing regional and international cooperation to prevent destruction, rebuild ecosystems, and support affected countries. He expressed Iran's support for recognizing ecocide as an independent international crime and its readiness to use its scientific, legal, and diplomatic capacities. He also identified COP31 as a suitable opportunity to draw global attention to the environmental effects of military attacks.

"We must not allow aggressors to escape responsibility for their criminal actions," Araghchi said. According to Mehr News, the conference aimed to highlight the often-overlooked environmental consequences of war and to foster international dialogue on accountability and prevention.