Tasnim � Iran�s Judiciary Chief Hojatoleslam Seyed Ebrahim Raeisi said the country�s own strategies suffice for the protection of environment and obviate the need for foreign treaties such as the Paris Agreement.


In comments at a meeting with Iranian environmentalists in Tehran on Saturday, Raeisi said Iran itself has devised grand strategies for the protection of environment.

�With the existence of such (local) documents, there is no need for treaties like the Paris Agreement,� the top Iranian official stated.

Although�international cooperation for the protection of environment is necessary, there have been enough intellectual and religious discussions about the issue in the country, the top judge added, stressing, �We do not need to enter this arena (Paris Agreement) now for conservation of the environment.�

He further highlighted the importance of environmental diplomacy, saying Iran has close environmental interaction with 15 neighboring states.

In November 2015, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei outlined 15 environmental policies developed in consultation with the Expediency Council in line with implementing the first paragraph of Article 110 of the Islamic Republic of Iran�s Constitution.

Development of an integrated national environmental system and the necessity for comprehensive, coordinated and systematic management of the country�s vital resources (including water, soil, air, and biodiversity) were among the most important policies that the Leader outlined in a letter to heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Iranian government.

The general policies call for criminalization of destruction of the country�s environment and punishment for polluters and destroyers of the environment.

Management of climate change and countering environmental threats including desertification, dust pollution, drought, and bacterial and radioactive transmission factors as well as the study and management of emerging environmental phenomena are also among the key points in the general policies.

They necessitated the expansion of "green economy" by laying emphasis on the use of clean energies, organic agriproducts, and waste management as well as the promotion of green public transportation system.

They also urge the reinforcement of Iran�s environmental diplomacy through establishment of regional bodies to counter dust and water pollutions, and the reinforcement of bilateral, multilateral, regional, and international collaborations in the field of environment.

Effective use of international opportunities and incentives on the path toward low-carbon economy and facilitation of the transfer and development of related technologies and innovations are also among the policies outlined by the Leader in the letter.