Press TV- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has ordered officials to promptly address problems such as dust and smoke particles, power outages and failures in the water supply and phone connections in Khuzestan.

Rouhani tasked his deputy Es'haq Jahangiri, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli and Khuzestan Governor Gholamreza Shariati with resolving the crisis following Saturday’s emergency session of the Crisis Management Center in Tehran.



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Iranian First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri (C) and other officials are seen during an emergency session of the Crisis Management Center in Tehran on February 18, 2017. (Photo by IRNA)[/caption]

Over the past weeks, people in Khuzestan especially in the provincial capital city of Ahvaz have suffered problems, assuring that all government officials are with the people until the issues are settled.

The president also hailed Khusetan residents’ “patience” in the face of natural and unprecedented disasters.

He further stressed that addressing the phenomenon of dust particles needs extensive extra-territorial moves.



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"] The photo shows the heavy haze in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran, February 18, 2017. (Photo by Tasnim news agency)[/caption]

Referring to recurrent power cuts and ensuing disruption in water supply and communications, President Rouhani said, “Right after the failures, the government tried to take all possible measure to reduce damage by sending concerned ministers to the province and mobilizing all its facilities.”

He also expressed sympathy with those affected by the incidents and assured locals that the government is determined to address the root cause of the problems and deal with environmental issues.

Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati said on Saturday that saplings should be planted in 30,000-40,000 hectares of lands in Khuzestan in a bid to counter dust particles.

Separately, Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian visited water and electricity facilities in Ahvaz and said that his office was doing its best to resolve the problems as soon as possible.

Chitchian noted that the electricity facilities should be washed to prevent power cuts as the occurrence of dust particles, heavy haze and moisture overload systems.