Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 12
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Dust storms from Turkmenistan have entered Iran's North Khorasan province.
Asghar Motahari, Director of North Khorasan Environmental Protection Organization, said in addition to the dust storms, drought and irregular use of pastures and farmlands have caused an increase in dust storms, Iran's IRNA news agency reported on Jan. 12.
Previously, local officials had said that the dust storms are coming from Iraq.
In recent years, dust storms in Iran have raised concerns over the air pollution levels in some cities, raising the particulates concentration to 9 times greater than standard levels.
In 2009, Iran and Iraq signed an agreement according to which Iraq should have poured oil derivative mulch on deserts; however the agreement was never fulfilled.
Edited by CN