Speech Delivered by Vice President and Head of the Department of Environment at the Ninth Session of the UNESCAP

Speech Delivered by Vice President and Head of the Department of Environment at the Ninth Session of the Ministerial Committee of Environment and Development of UNESCAP

 

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Excellencies

Mr. President 

Ladies and Gentlemen

At the outset, I would like to express the sincere appreciation of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kingdom of Thailand and the ESCAP Secretariat for hosting this important meeting and for their valuable efforts in strengthening regional environmental cooperation .

Today, the Asia-Pacific region—with its vast geography and large population—stands at the forefront of numerous environmental crises. Climate change, air and marine pollution, biodiversity loss, land degradation, dust and sand storms, waste management challenges, and plastic pollution are among the most pressing issues we face. Given the global nature of the environment, none of these challenges recognizes national borders, and no country can address them alone .

Yet beyond these escalating environmental crises lies another human-made threat—one that inflicts perhaps the most severe and inhumane damage upon the environment: environmental destruction resulting from war and military aggression .

Ladies and Gentlemen 

Our meeting today is taking place in a region that, only decades ago, witnessed some of the gravest war crimes and environmental catastrophes caused by the warmongering of major powers. The devastating legacy of Agent Orange and cluster munitions continues to affect countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to this very day .

I stand before you today on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proud people—a nation that, over the past year, has been subjected to two acts of aggression launched by the United States of America and its proxy, the Zionist regime .

The very initiation of these acts of aggression constituted a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the civilized international order. Equally disturbing has been the silence and inaction of the international institutions entrusted with safeguarding peace and justice. The attacks on Minab School, the girls’ sports club in Lamerd, and the deliberate targeting of oil facilities, drinking water infrastructure, and residential areas constitute grave crimes that demand a unified response from the civilized and freedom-loving nations of the world .

However, beyond their humanitarian consequences, the environmental impacts of these brutal attacks represent a profound threat to the entire planet. Carbon emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of sixty countries generated within only the first two weeks of the attacks, serious damage to the ecologically sensitive waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, reckless attacks against peaceful nuclear facilities, and widespread destruction of biodiversity are only some of the most significant consequences .

Attacks on industrial facilities, the release of hazardous pollutants following strikes on fuel storage sites around Tehran and other refineries, threats to water and soil resources, destruction of natural habitats, increased emissions of pollutants, and the risk of transboundary contamination are only part of the environmental consequences whose impacts will extend far beyond Iran’s borders .

The environment is the first silent victim of war and the last to recover from its consequences. Nature does not recognize the end of armed conflict. Environmental destruction may continue to undermine human health, food security, water resources, and biodiversity for decades after the guns fall silent .

For this reason, protecting the environment during armed conflicts is not merely a moral obligation; it is a binding obligation under international law that must be respected and implemented with greater determination .

We believe the time has come for the international community to recognize environmental security as an essential pillar of international peace and security. Lasting peace cannot exist without a healthy environment, and environmental destruction anywhere in the world can generate consequences that transcend national boundaries .

Likewise, the fundamental “Polluter Pays Principle” should not be confined solely to economic activities. When the environment is damaged as a result of unlawful acts and military aggression, those responsible must accept international responsibility for their actions and provide full compensation for the environmental damage they have caused. Effective implementation of this principle not only serves justice for the affected State but also plays an essential role in preventing the recurrence of such devastation .

From this perspective, strengthening international mechanisms to prevent environmental destruction during armed conflicts, assess environmental damage, document environmental impacts, ensure accountability of aggressors, and secure effective compensation has become an undeniable necessity.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Despite these immense challenges, and despite decades of unjust unilateral sanctions that have deprived my country of access to the financial and technological mechanisms established under international environmental conventions, the Islamic Republic of Iran remains firmly committed to regional cooperation for the conservation of biodiversity, combating climate change and air pollution, protecting marine ecosystems, sustainably managing natural resources, addressing dust and sand storms, and promoting the exchange of knowledge and technology .

We firmly believe that environmental protection should never become an arena for confrontation, but rather a platform for building trust, strengthening cooperation, and advancing our shared responsibility among nations.

Allow me to conclude with these words:

When war targets the environment, the victim is not merely one nation—it is the shared heritage of humanity. Therefore, protecting the environment must become a common global responsibility. Remaining silent in the face of environmental destruction is tantamount to accepting a threat that will, sooner or later, engulf us all.

Thank you for your kind attention.