Iranians Mark National Tree Planting Week (+Photos)

The tree planting event is marked every year just ahead of the advent of the Persian New Year, which starts on March 21.

The nationwide tree plantation campaign is aimed at protecting the environment and fighting air pollution especially in major cities.

The event was marked on Wednesday by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei who, after planting two fruit saplings in Tehran, delivered a short speech in which he called for absolute prohibition of damage to trees for the purpose of constructing buildings.

Trees are considered sacred in the Iranian culture, which is why Iranians celebrate the National Arbor Day and spend an entire week in tree planting events just a week before the Persian New Year and the beginning of the spring.