Iran and China begin project to restore wetlands and curb dust storms
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Iran and China have entered the implementation phase of a joint project to restore the Salehiyeh and Allahabad wetlands near Tehran and mitigate dust storm sources.
The project targets more than 48,000 hectares of land to improve the hydrological regimes of the two wetlands and support local livelihoods. Representatives from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Tehran, and the Plan and Budget Organization are coordinating the effort.
These actions aim to reverse the degradation of the wetlands caused by drought, excessive water extraction, and drainage projects. The first phase of the plan includes rehabilitating drainage systems and reopening waterways. Workers will also establish windbreaks, implement biological measures, and use environmentally compatible mulches. Behzad Raygani, secretary of the National Secretariat for Sand and Dust Storms, stated that the initiative requires integrated water management and soil stabilization in critical dust hotspots.
President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the creation of a five-year action plan to combat desertification based on a memorandum of understanding signed in Lanzhou, China. The project identifies the Salehiyeh Wetland and the Tabas desert as pilot sites for these efforts. The government aims to use the expertise of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to protect food security and human health from the impacts of climate change and soil erosion.
