“Iran’s Environmental Achievements in Secret: Flaring Reduction and Solar Energy Efforts Remain Out of Public View”

Rokna Reporter: We begin the conversation with the foreign trips made by the Department of Environment over the past two years. During this period, your agency has made several international trips that could have been strong opportunities for global engagement and learning. Yet, media outlets have not seen concrete outputs from these travels: no agreements or visible positive benefits for Iran — at least not in a way ordinary people can feel. In particular, the recent trips to China, Turkey, and Brazil — which are strategically important — demand explanation. What is your assessment?

Arman Khorsand: “Almost all of us agree that environmental issues may be among the few topics that recognize no nationality. In other words, when an environmental phenomenon begins, political borders are meaningless. For example, a dust storm forms and moves into Iran without regard for visas or permits; borders do not matter. This unique aspect of environmental issues makes international attention essential.

“No country alone can fully resolve environmental problems

For instance, the matter of the Hamoun wetland, if its water rights are not honored from Afghanistan, no matter how much we act domestically for a hundred years, without international dimension, the issue remains incomplete. The same applies to transboundary dust storms; the majority of their sources lie beyond our borders and beyond domestic capacities. Another key point is that one of the fundamental principles of environmental cooperation is its collective, global nature. No one country can put forward a complete solution for such global problems. The global cooperation system, as matured within international conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), indicates the shared responsibility of all nations. All governments bear responsibility for the environment, but the scale and nature of that responsibility differ. A developed country, which for two or three centuries has heavily degraded nature and heavily consumed fossil fuels, carries far greater responsibility than a country that was less industrialized or less destructive historically.

“From the beginning of the current government — in the past year and a few months — we have faced war and external pressures. These conditions have significantly reduced the number of international trips by the head of the agency compared to previous eras. If you compare objectively, this has been one of the least travel-intensive periods of the agency’s leadership. Of course, some trips were mandatory, such as the climate conference in Cape Verde or attendance in Baku. In Baku, for example, because of major media disputes one month before the trip, it was decided that the head of the agency would send a deputy representative instead of attending personally. In Brazil, a similar pattern followed. Although the Department is responsible for implementing the UN Triple-C Convention, since the President was not present at the conference, our deputy head represented us. Thus, the limited travel reflects real domestic and international conditions.”

Arman Khorsand continued: *“Given economic conditions and currency fluctuations, we tried to minimize foreign travel as much as possible. We even corresponded to check whether, in some cases, the absence of the agency head or the non-deployment of a full delegation would hamper our goals. In many cases, a representative or even online participation suffices to cover the subject in the international context. This policy was adopted due to both internal constraints and the global state of affairs.

“Moreover, we must not forget that there are efforts in the world to isolate Iran from international environmental platforms. In other words, certain actors do not want Iran’s voice to be heard formally, and they try to minimize our official role. While some of this comes from our own decisions, part of it truly stems from external pressure and a desire to decrease Iran’s presence on the world stage.

“Some countries cooperate with us, but they ask us not to publicize that cooperation. We know of countries that are ready to work with Iran, but they prefer the projects to remain quiet — partly because they fear sanctions or political backlash. So many projects and technology transfers happen operationally, behind the scenes, without public announcement.

“As for visible results, they are mostly seen in large international-funded projects rather than by usual media coverage. For instance, one of our major initiatives is for Lake Urmia, supported by an $8 million grant from Japan. That project includes local community training and developing alternative livelihoods — not just local work, but part of a broader international commitment.

“Nonetheless, we must admit that environmental crises are vast and our work — though meaningful — may appear small when compared to their scale. For example, our current seven-year drought is massive. Reports show that Turkey, because of dam construction and water management, plays a significant role in this crisis. Even when we were in Turkey, news broke that Bursa — Turkey’s fourth-largest city — had reached zero usable water. That illustrates the persistent boundary between whether a country is really acting or simply saying it is.

“We have also carried out targeted efforts: rather than sending rangers physically into protected areas where they risk confrontation with illegal poachers, we are working to deploy cameras and drones through international cooperation. These tools help surveillance, though they do not solve the entire problem.

“These processes do take time. As a journalist, you may ask whether after a few months you can see significant change. Yes — leveraging our domestic knowledge-based companies is key. The Department of Environment has already launched a 500 kW solar power plant through cooperation with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology. It runs at no cost to the agency. But the environmental crisis is moving too fast globally.

“At COP this year in Brazil, we saw unprecedented events: indigenous leaders confronted official delegations over Brazil’s plans to keep extracting oil in the Amazon. These stories show that even large, advanced nations are struggling with their own climate crises: immense wildfires, powerful storms, droughts followed by unusual rainfall — all interconnected, part of a massive global crisis. Even the biggest environmental powers are failing. For instance, the U.S. has recently cut many of its funding mechanisms, affecting UNESCO and other international programs. So the global environmental challenge is enormous, and our actions must be assessed within this broader reality.

“We are embedded in a complex system of global, regional and local environmental challenges. Our task is to do everything we can to at least slow down this avalanche or change its direction. Even small actions matter, even if at the scale of the entire crisis they appear modest.

“In the next four to five months, we plan to send a group of Iranian environmental rangers to China for training, with co-funding from both sides. Some equipment is in the pipeline too, although I cannot share details publicly due to political sensitivity — but it is happening.

“Our deeper international engagements — for example at conferences in Brazil and Turkey — are not just talk. In Brazil at COP, our delegation negotiated both critical environmental matters and agreements on climate adaptation through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). That convention led to both the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Within that framework, we are addressing mitigation, adaptation, and financial mechanisms. These discussions are global; all countries, including Iran, face tension over how to distribute responsibility and financial support.

“At COP in Baku last year, developing countries threatened to leave the conference. Ultimately, a roughly $400 billion package was approved — though even UN Secretary General Guterres admitted that it was insufficient and unreliable. Still, it was a start.

“The core challenge remains: due to sanctions, Iran is excluded from financial mechanisms and technology transfers. As a result, many international promises remain hypothetical for us. Some of these debates in Iran become media spectacles, but lack technical understanding. For instance, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement allows participating countries to benefit from financial tools. But when Iran signs, there is no guarantee that we will actually receive support. In meetings with Stéphane, the UNFCCC Secretary, we pressed this point: Iran deserves financial backing. He agreed — but when it comes to implementation, our influence is limited.

“Our presence in these international sessions is vital. In one meeting, a representative of an Arab country proposed language that would have disadvantaged Iran — but because we were present and active, we were able to block it. Active representation is not symbolic; it is essential. Even issues such as carbon tax on global shipping directly impact Iran’s oil and petrochemical industry.

“This is not just about global norms. We are talking about real rights. We are deprived of some fundamental rights in this space because of international bullying. While we have made real efforts — cutting flare, reducing emissions, building renewables — the legacy of decades of environmental mismanagement by industrial powers remains. Even if we work hard, the environmental scars of the past remain deep.

“Unfortunately, for many officials and policymakers, the environment has long been a decorative issue. Some view it as a side concern, not central to development. But the truth is that neglecting it blocks basic pathways for people’s well-being and survival.

“Yet, I believe we have three real advantages now: first, our President truly cares about environmental issues. Second, the head of the Department of Environment is a qualified expert, not an outsider. Third, nature itself is revealing the severity of the damage, which is awakening people to the crisis. Even with these strengths, we still face individuals who treat environmentalism as secondary. They do not grasp that preserving natural capital is the state’s core duty.

“To face these environmental realities, we must not spend our days in endless debate with critics. The key is practical action. A turning point would be passing and enforcing a climate regulation. This program must involve the entire country — both industry and agriculture — within a coherent operational framework. Such a vision requires not only managerial sophistication but also strong diplomacy both domestically and abroad.

“I remain hopeful for two reasons: first, because our President truly believes in environmental protection; second, because our agency head is experienced and technically skilled. But there is also a personal insight I cherish: when I was a student in Germany, I once gave bread to ducks by a river. A father and son watched me. The little boy came over and asked, ‘Why are you feeding the ducks? In school I learned that this disturbs the ecosystem.’ That moment showed me that environmental sensitivity can begin in childhood. We must bring that awareness to our schools. Currently, environmental education is minimal; even in law schools, which are strategically relevant, there is often only one optional course on environmental law. But I am confident that with proper planning and sustained effort, we can change this. One day, our children — like that boy in Germany — will respond to ecosystem disruptions, not with ignorance, but with responsibility. That is a goal within reach — and we must believe in it.”