Since 2003, when the Defense Ministry took charge of demining programs, it has conducted clearance of more than 1.5 million hectares of lands contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance left over from the Iraqi imposed war against Iran in the 1980s, Dehqan announced on Sunday.
He also noted that 99 percent of a total of 4.2 million hectares of the country’s contaminated areas, located in the western border provinces, have undergone “general demining” plans.
According to the minister, 91 personnel have been martyred and 110 others have been injured during mine clearance operations in Iran.
The United Nations classification of mine-affected countries states that the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the world's most affected countries.
The hazardous residue of the war in Iran stretches from the Persian Gulf coasts to the Turkish border, some 600 kilometers north.
Demining needs costly equipment and technical know-how for clearance operations around wellheads, pipelines, agricultural fields and construction sites.