Ali Khamenei: Prevention of Flood Damage Should Have Been Anticipated

The leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated on Tuesday during a meeting with government officials and military commanders that "prevention of destruction and damage" from floods "should have been anticipated in advance." He emphasized that assistance to flood victims was "very significant, but all necessary decisions and actions must be pursued seriously and continue until the problems and sufferings of the affected people are resolved." Khamenei's remarks come amid criticism from social media users regarding the performance of responsible agencies in aiding flood victims. He also noted that "coordination among agencies and the presence of high-ranking officials and military commanders in the heart of the incident and in the affected areas" were "notable points" of this incident. His comments were made in the context of President Hassan Rouhani's earlier statement that the explosion of the railway and road in Aq Qala by the Revolutionary Guards had no impact on reducing the flood, which provoked a reaction from the Guards' commander. Khamenei continued by stating, "In addition to these points, there is a more important issue, which is the prevention of destruction and damage that should have been anticipated in advance." He identified "dredging rivers," "dredging dams," "liberating riverbanks," "watershed management," and "preserving pastures and forests" as "very important topics" in this regard. He added, "This incident should serve as a lesson so that in future projects, including dam construction, road construction, railway construction, and urban development, all aspects are considered, and necessary and comprehensive foresight is conducted." Some experts have cited the cause of recent floods as "deforestation" in previous years, construction in the riverbanks of Golestan province, and irresponsible exploitation of mines. Meanwhile, journalist Yashar Soltani tweeted that according to a report from the General Inspection Organization, 70% of the forests in Golestan province are under the control of "influential companies and institutions." According to this report, the Golestan Seminary controls 47,013 hectares, the 25th Karbala Brigade of the Revolutionary Guards controls 13,000 hectares, the Pishgaman Sazandegi Institute controls 8,690 hectares, and Astan Quds controls 991 hectares of forests in this region. Previously, Isa Kalantari, the head of the Environmental Protection Organization, stated that 60 years ago, there were 2.8 million hectares of forest in northern Iran, but now it has decreased to 1.3 million hectares. In the Tuesday meeting with government officials and military commanders, President Hassan Rouhani was absent, and First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and several ministers presented reports. In the recent floods in Iran, 57 people have died, and 478 have been injured. These floods have caused various damages estimated at around 12 trillion tomans so far.