Ban Admits To Damaging Environmental Impact Of Iran Sanctions

Berlin, Nov 25, IRNA -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon acknowledged that western sanctions on Iran had a detrimental effect on the country’s environment, according to IRNA. Meeting with Iranian Vice-President and head of Iran’s Department of Environment, Masoumeh Ebtekar on the sidelines of the world climate summit in the Polish capital Warsaw, Ban admitted that the western embargo had a damaging impact on Iran's fragile environment. The UN chief referred to a recent letter by Ebtekar in which she warned Ban of the negative consequences of the western sanctions for the Iranian environment. The harmful effects of the sanctions are clearly evident on Iran’s economy and environment, and in sectors such as oil, industry, sewage management and the smog phenomenon,” Ebtekar was quoted saying in the letter. She pointed out that Iran’s restricted access to advanced technologies to produce fuels with high standards had seriously polluted the air in Irans major cities, endangering the lives of more than 35 million people. Ebtekar further noted that the country’s industry, battered by sanctions, had been unable to receive environment-friendly technologies to improve air quailty standards, as well as sewage management. The lack of industrial technologies, she said, had effectively brought the process of moving towards “green industries and balanced sustainable development” to a halt./end