Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that aggression and warmongering by the US and the Israeli regime have severely damaged regional ecosystems, driving catastrophic environmental destruction.
Addressing the 17th Summit of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 17), held in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Friday, Pezeshkian emphasized that US and Israel waged an unprovoked war of aggression against the Iranian nation which produced adverse effects on the ecosystem of the regional countries.
Condemning the destructive impact of wars of aggression on nature, Iranian President Pezeshkian termed it "ecocide," or environmental genocide, stating that preserving biodiversity can be important arenas for peace diplomacy.
Iranian president called for stronger international mechanisms to assess and repair environmental damage caused by armed conflict, warning that war threatens biodiversity far beyond national borders.
Turning to the Israeli massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, he stressed, “Gaza stands as a stark testament to ecocide, with devastation whose horrific impacts will endure for generations.”
President Pezeshkian warned that war caused lasting environmental devastation, citing that Gaza's contaminated soil as proof that ecological damage crosses borders and requires international intervention.
Nations subjected to illegal sanctions and foreign-imposed wars must not be forced to pay the heavy toll of these crises, Pezeshkian warned.
Protecting biodiversity can be an important arena for peace diplomacy, he said, stressing, “Not only war is merely a threat to humans and infrastructure, but also as a direct cause of the destruction of nature.”
War burns forests, destroys wetlands, pollutes soil and water, and displaces animal species, he underlined.
“We believe that biodiversity conservation can serve as a significant arena for "peace diplomacy." In a region grappling with security crises stemming from the illegal and expansionist presence of powers, as well as climate change, water scarcity, and ecosystem degradation, environmental cooperation can build bridges between nations, the bridges that pave the way for peace and security for all, peace with nature, and a future lived in harmony with the natural world.”
Pezeshkian described the environmental devastation caused by the wars in the region, including in Gaza, as “ecocide” that must be condemned, adding that pollution and ecological damage transcend national borders.
He then called on the international community to ensure that nature is not treated as a “silent and defenseless victim” of war. He said international agencies and relevant institutions should strengthen mechanisms for assessing environmental damage, mobilizing financial resources, restoring damaged ecosystems and supporting countries affected by the environmental consequences of armed conflicts.
Highlighting Iran’s biodiversity, which spans the Hyrcanian and Arasbaran forests, the Zagros Mountains, deserts and the coasts of the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and Caspian Sea, Pezeshkian said nature conservation is part of the country’s cultural and civilizational heritage. He noted that Iran has adopted a national biodiversity strategy and action plan, designated its Department of Environment as the national coordinating body, and prioritized the protection of endangered species and the expansion of protected areas.
The president also stressed that developing countries need fair access to financial resources, modern technologies, scientific knowledge and capacity-building opportunities to meet their environmental commitments.
He said countries facing economic sanctions or military aggression should not be left to bear alone the environmental costs of sanctions or wars they did not initiate. Without adequate funding and equitable technology transfer, he warned, global biodiversity targets would remain little more than declarations and negotiations.
He said Iran’s diverse ecosystems, species and genetic resources formed a natural and cultural heritage shaped by millions of years of evolution over time. From the Hyrcanian and Arasbaran forests to the Zagros Mountains, deserts and the coasts of the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Caspian Sea, these resources underpin the country’s resilience and sustainable development, he said.
President Pezeshkian said Iran had adopted a national biodiversity strategy and action plan and designated the Department of Environment as its national coordinator. Priorities include expanding protected areas to 28 percent, monitoring key species, developing wildlife rehabilitation centers and implementing action plans for 25 vertebrate species. National task forces have been established for species including the Asiatic cheetah and Persian fallow deer, he said.
Turning to armed conflict, President Pezeshkian said war burns forests, damages wetlands, contaminates soil and water, destroys habitats and introduces pollutants and heavy metals into natural systems. Such harm can persist for years after fighting ends and affect the security and well-being of future generations.
He said the United States and the Israeli regime are causing environmental damage through military operations in the region, citing damage to industrial and energy facilities, fires, pollution and harm to protective infrastructure. He said environmental impacts crossed political borders and required solutions.
Referring to Gaza, he warned that damage to soil and ecological systems could endure for generations and described the destruction as ecocide, which he emphasized should be condemned.
President Pezeshkian also highlighted the challenges facing countries dealing with climate change, drought, water scarcity and desertification while facing economic sanctions and limited access to finance and technology. Biodiversity commitments, he said, would remain on paper without adequate funding, fair access to technology and capacity-building.
He called on United Nations agencies, international financial institutions and environmental and sustainable-development bodies to strengthen funding mechanisms, assess environmental damage, restore affected ecosystems and support countries dealing with the consequences of armed conflict. Countries under sanctions or subjected to military aggression should not be left to bear these costs alone, he said.
Protecting biodiversity, he added, could become an important arena for peace diplomacy, with environmental cooperation serving as a bridge between nations and helping advance peace with nature and a safer future for coming generations.
Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to share its scientific expertise, academic capabilities and experience with other countries, describing biodiversity conservation as an important avenue for “peace diplomacy.”
Cooperation could help bridge divides between nations and contribute to peace and security, coexistence with nature, and the well-being of present and future generations, he concluded.
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