Speaking at the first International Conference on Combating Sand and Dust Storms in Tehran on Saturday, Ali Salajegheh said July 12 was named last year as the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) upon Iran’s proposal.
“Considering that we saw 55 countries directly exposed to [SDS], we invited all of them, and today, their representatives are present in this meeting,” said Salajegheh during his opening remarks at the conference.
He further said that 15 international institutions were also present at the summit.
“Based on the latest data, it has been determined that Turkmenistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran are more exposed to [SDS] than other countries,” he said, expressing hope that the final statement of the meeting would lead the way forward.
He also criticized the United Nations for the “cruel sanctions” against Iran and called on the UN to fulfill its responsibilities in protecting the environment and combating SDS.
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