Vice President and Head of Iran’s Department of Environment Meets UNEP Executive Director

on the Sidelines of UNEA‑7

 On Tuesday, 9 December 2025, Dr. Shina Ansari, Vice President and Head of Iran’s Department of Environment, met with Ms. Anderson, United Nations Deputy Secretary‑General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), on the sidelines of UNEA‑7.

During the meeting, Dr. Ansari highlighted Iran’s major environmental challenges, including dust storms, drought, the impacts of climate change, drying wetlands, and the consequences of dam construction in Afghanistan on the Hamoun wetlands and related social impacts. She emphasized the urgent need for UNEP’s support in addressing the decline of water resources in wetlands, particularly transboundary wetlands.

The Vice President also addressed the negative effects of unjust sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran in the environmental sector, calling on the United Nations to facilitate the transfer of environmentally friendly technologies and ensure Iran’s fair share of international funding.

Ms. Anderson commended Iran’s constructive role in UN environmental initiatives, particularly Iran’s leadership on the issue of dust storms, and expressed regret over the impact of sanctions in this field. She stressed that UNEP’s agenda is non‑political, focusing on environmental and humanitarian dimensions and the shared destiny of humanity. She further underlined the importance of flexibility among countries in the final negotiations of UNEA‑7 documents.

In conclusion, Ms. Anderson outlined various areas of cooperation between UNEP and the Islamic Republic of Iran and emphasized the need to overcome obstacles and expand collaboration through UNEP’s regional office.