A Ranger Targeted by Poachers in the Protected Hunting Area of 'Nepal' in Shahroud

Following an armed confrontation with 'illegal' poachers in the protected hunting area of 'Nepal' in Shahroud, a ranger named Alireza Dezianian was injured and transferred to the hospital. Ali Akbar Ghorbanloo, the head of the Environmental Protection Department of Shahroud County, announced this news, stating: 'The ranger patrol team was protecting the Nepal protected hunting area in Shahroud and monitoring the actions of poachers when three poachers shot at them several times.' According to this official, two assailants have been arrested, but the 'main assailant' is still at large and being pursued. According to available statistics, the number of rangers in Iran is one-twelfth of global standards, and over the past forty years, Iranian rangers have witnessed hundreds of injuries, 150 deaths, one execution, and eight others awaiting execution. Environmental activists believe that the deliberate exclusion of local communities and NGOs in the protection of natural resources is one of the most important factors leading to these tragedies. A ranger was shot dead in front of a court in Kermanshah. The critical state of Iran's environment and the problems faced by rangers have prompted reactions from Iranian athletes and artists regarding the confirmation of a ranger's death sentence. A conversation with Ismail Kahrm followed the heartbreaking murder of two rangers: they were shot with a 'finishing shot.'