The Iranian president delivered an address to the "Regional Ministerial Meeting of Environmental Cooperation for a Better Future", held in Tehran on Tuesday.
In the conference, attended by ministers and officials from 11 regional countries, the Iranian president said, "Economic and industrial development is a necessity for all countries, but this development must be marginal compared to environmental protection."
Expressing satisfaction with the importance that the friendly and neighboring countries attach to the intergenerational issue of the environment and the need to protect it, Raisi said the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran considers the environment as a requirement for the growing social life of mankind.
The current world is facing many environmental problems beyond geographical and political borders, Raisi added, noting, "In the West Asian region, we are facing many environmental problems, including climate change, dust storms, and pollution of biological resources."
Raisi also described the hegemonic approach of the Western governments during the past centuries, their unlimited encroachment on natural resources, and the production of various pollutants in different parts of the world to achieve economic development as some of the main factors behind environmental problems.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran, by drafting national laws, including the 50th Article of the Constitution, as well as by establishing religious teachings and relying on indigenous knowledge and prioritizing values such as justice, equality, contentment, and respect for nature, along with membership in assemblies for environmental issues has paid special attention to environmental protection and has taken effective measures to promote and improve environmental conditions and eliminate pollution created in the country," the president stated, according to his official website.
"Dealing with some environmental challenges, including the crisis of increasing dust storms, is a cross-border issue and requires international and regional determination. The mechanism for solving environmental issues depends on regional cooperation and convergence, and the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes regional cooperation and convergence to overcome these challenges in order to improve the environment,” he underlined.