President tasks Foreign Ministry to deal with Hour Al-Azim fire

Ahamd Reza Lahijanzadeh told IRNA late on Saturday that Head of Iran’s Department of Environment (DOE) Issa Kalantari has recently in a letter to the president called for assistance on uncontrollable fire in Hoor Al-Azim.

The president also ordered the foreign ministry that since the protracted fire that is tainted with purposefulness to protest the Iraqi government immediately, he said.

The official further noted that the president also called on Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) to help in putting out the fire in the Iraqi part of Hoor Al-Azim.

Supreme National Security Council also held a session in this regard recently where it was agreed to send a delegation comprising relevant officials from Foreign Ministry, Department of Environment and Khuzestan Governorate General to Iraq at the earliest or invite them to a session in the field in Iran, Lahijanzadeh said.

Fire in Hoor Al-Azim broke out in late June but two rounds of operations to put out fire were ineffective, as they were finally stopped, he said, noting that however, third round of operations already started four days ago.

Currently the wetland is still burning in fire and cities close to the area are engulfed by choking smoke, he said.
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