All Provinces of Iran Except Mazandaran and Gilan Are 'Surrounded by Dust Particles'

The state news agency IRNA reports that due to reduced vegetation cover, increased desertification, and other issues, currently all provinces of Iran, except for Mazandaran, Gilan, and part of Golestan province, are surrounded by dust particles. On January 13, IRNA stated that eight million hectares of the 35 million hectares of desert land in Iran are threatened by dust storms and are becoming centers of wind erosion. According to IRNA, 'a noticeable reduction in vegetation cover in desert areas' is one of the main reasons for the increase in wind erosion centers. Other challenges include 'intensifying desertification', 'increasing environmental problems', continuous droughts, or decreased rainfall. Soil is usually composed of hard materials, mineral and organic compounds, living organisms, and climate. Water erosion is a common phenomenon in soil erosion. Wind erosion is another significant factor in soil erosion. Dust particles refer to a collection of dry particles in the air. However, the National Dust Combat Headquarters states that 'dust particles' is incorrect, and the correct terms are 'dust' or 'dust and particles'. Nevertheless, some other experts argue that these two phenomena are distinct from each other. Warnings about the status of dust particles, soil erosion, and the problems arising from them in Iran are not new, and in recent years both government officials and experts have spoken about their occurrence and consequences. Air pollution and dust particles have so far led to the closure of educational centers, disruption of citizens' lives, migrations, increased visits to medical centers, various physical ailments, as well as protests, marches, and various gatherings. In May of this year, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture stated that if the current trend continues and 'neglect' persists, the number of desertification centers producing dust particles in the year 1400 (2021) will reach 77%, threatening more than half of Iran's total population. In mid-December, Manouchehr Gorji, the head of the Iranian Soil Science Association, warned that Iran experiences two billion tons of soil erosion annually, and 'no one is responsible for its protection'. Mr. Gorji stated that one billion tons of this soil settles in dams, and another billion tons turns into 'deadly dust particles'. A year ago, Ismail Najjar, head of the National Disaster Management Organization, stated that desertification in Iran is 'widely' increasing and the phenomenon of dust particles has become a 'super crisis'. Recommendations and strategies to combat this phenomenon have also been proposed; for example, soil conservation programs that the United States adopted about eight decades ago. Experts have also provided recommendations regarding personal and individual care. However, dust particles in Iran do not only have domestic sources, and a significant amount also enters from other countries in the region, which experts say requires increased regional cooperation to combat them. Although it is unclear how seriously this issue is taken under the current conditions and existing political tensions.