Baku, Azerbaijan, June 7
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
International sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic over its disputed nuclear program have had damaging effects on the country's environment, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.
Iran needs the "cruel sanctions" to be removed to solve its environmental problems, Rouhani said, the state television channel IRINN reported June 7.
Resolving the environmental problems require investment, Rouhani said, adding once the sanctions are lifted and an investment flow into the country is possible, many problems including environmental, industrial, water resources and banking system problems will be settled.
He further criticized the former administration of the Islamic Republic over neglecting the issue's seriousness.
"Some people didn't understand the meaning of the sanctions, and problems increased gradually," Rouhani said.
Once the UN security council imposed sanctions against Iran, the country's then president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013) referred the sanctions resolution as "a piece of torn paper" that would not scare Tehran.
Earlier Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of Iran's Environment Protection Organization said the Islamic Republic has been prevented to acquire the required technology to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution while commenting on damaging impacts of the sanctions.
Iran and the P5+1 (the US, the UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) reached a mutual understanding on Tehran's nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2. The parties have agreed to finalize a comprehensive deal on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program by the end of June.
The deal stipulates the removal of all international sanctions on Iran in return to narrowing the range of Iran's nuclear activities.
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