SAEDNEWS: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for stronger international mechanisms to document environmental damage caused by military activities and hold those responsible accountable, emphasizing that peace is essential to protecting the environment.
According to Saednews, Addressing the leaders’ summit of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, President Masoud Pezeshkian called for greater international responsibility, climate justice and recognition of the close connection between peace and environmental protection.
He warned that military conflicts targeting land, water, air and natural resources could cause environmental damage lasting for generations. Referring to recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran, he said the strikes had resulted in significant human and economic losses, alongside extensive environmental destruction.
According to assessments cited by the president, attacks on fuel facilities in Asaluyeh released approximately 500,000 tons of pollutants, while strikes on fuel storage facilities around Tehran resulted in the release of nearly one million tons of carbon dioxide.
Pezeshkian stressed that the environmental impact of military operations directly undermined international efforts to combat climate change. He noted that fuel consumption, explosions, infrastructure destruction and widespread fires could reverse years of progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
He also condemned attacks on protected natural areas and environmental ranger stations, emphasizing that these locations were shared global assets that must be safeguarded for future generations.
The Iranian president called for stronger international mechanisms to document environmental destruction, prevent further damage and hold those responsible accountable. He urged the international community to ensure that environmental commitments made during peacetime also apply during armed conflicts and called for effective compensation for environmental losses caused by military aggression.
Despite sanctions and restrictions on access to international financing and technology, Pezeshkian said Iran had continued expanding its renewable energy sector. He highlighted the country's progress over the past two years, during which renewable electricity capacity had increased from approximately 1,250 megawatts to more than 6,150 megawatts.
He added that renewable electricity generation had surpassed 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours this year, helping prevent an estimated 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Concluding his remarks, Pezeshkian emphasized that the Earth belongs to no single nation or generation, describing it as a shared responsibility that must be protected and passed on safely to future generations.
"Peace is a prerequisite for environmental protection, and environmental protection is a prerequisite for lasting peace," he said, reaffirming Iran's readiness to engage in fair, responsible and constructive international cooperation.
