Iran to pursue environmental war damages in international forums

Iranian Vice President and Head of the Department of Environment Shina Ansari said on Sunday that Iran will pursue environmental damages caused during the recent war in international forums. She made the remarks in a meeting with the President of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pir-Hossein Kolivand, and a number of its officials and staff, according to Mehr News Agency (MNA).

During the meeting, Ansari praised Red Crescent relief workers for their dedication during the recent war, highlighting their role in strengthening national resilience and alleviating people’s suffering. She described the bombing of fuel storage facilities in Tehran and Karaj, along with other war-related environmental damage, as acts of ecocide and crimes against the environment.

The vice president said the damage violated international environmental conventions and its effects remained visible along the country’s southern coasts, coastal wetlands, and ecosystems. She warned that the consequences could become more severe in the long term. Ansari added that documentation of the environmental damage caused by the 12-day war had been completed, while documentation of the Ramadan war was ongoing. She said the cases would be pursued in international forums in cooperation with the Presidential Legal Department.

The report by Mehr News Agency (MNA) added that the meeting also addressed the Red Crescent’s relief efforts during the conflict and the importance of environmental protection in wartime.