IRNA – Iran is going to launch a training center in Iraq to educate Iraqis on effective ways to address the issue of dust storms and the particle pollution overwhelming the region, says the Vice-President and head of the Environment Department.
 
We started negotiations with the Iraqi government on addressing dust storms originated from the country and possible ways to address the problem aboutb a month ago, Masoumeh Ebtekar told a provincial council on Saturday.

“Talks are expected to be finalized within days,” Ebtekar added.
“In addition to establishment of such a center, plans are in place for creating a training farm with preliminary steps already taken,” she said.

The head of Iran’s Environment Department also said that based on an announcement by the Iraqi government, as a result of improvement of security in Iraq, it is now more ready to help resolve the problem of dust.

Ebtekar, referring to eight million hectares of dust centers identified in Iraq, said the United Nations has already issued some resolutions regarding dust storms in the region.

She added that Tehran is to host the first international meeting on dust storms in early July.

Every now and then, Iran is hit by big dust storms that can cripple people’s lives.

Seventy percent of the particle pollution affecting Iran comes from foreign countries including Iraq, Syria and Jordan and even reach the capital Tehran due to their magnitude.

Iran’s western border areas, including Kermanshah, Ilam and Khuzestan provinces, are suffering more than other regions from particle pollutions as they receive more dust carried by winds arriving from other countries.