Deputy of the Environmental Protection Organization: Over Two Million Weapons Are in the Hands of the Public

Farhad Dabiri, the Deputy for Natural Environment and Biodiversity of the Environmental Protection Organization, stated that currently, over two million firearms are in the possession of the public, half of which are 'unauthorized'. According to reports from Young Journalists Club, Mr. Dabiri declared this number of weapons as a 'threat' to the environment and expressed concern over the decline of various animal species in Iran. Illegal hunting is cited as one of the factors contributing to the reduction of rare or endangered animal species in Iran, which leads to the death of hundreds of animals annually in the country. Environmental protection officials and media in Iran regularly report the identification and arrest of illegal hunters. Iran is home to 500 mammal species and 190 bird species, and illegal hunting, along with habitat destruction and ecosystem degradation, has resulted in population decline, extinction, and destruction of these species. According to responsible officials, an average of 28 cases of illegal hunting and three unauthorized firearms are recorded daily in the country. Last September, Masoumeh Ebtekar, the head of the Environmental Protection Organization of Iran, criticized the fact that revising hunting policies has not prevented the trend of illegal hunting. Ms. Ebtekar expressed regret over the growing trend of illegal hunting in Iran, describing hunting as a complex issue that requires control, planning, and cultural development. The Ministry of Defense's agreement with last year's request from the Environmental Protection Organization to stop the production of hunting weapons is among the policies of this organization to control and reduce illegal hunting in Iran. The Defense Industries Organization began producing and distributing the Nakhjir 1 rifle in 1994, which is a single-barrel shotgun with a 12-gauge caliber for bird hunting. This organization later introduced the Nakhjir 2 and 3 hunting rifles, one of the uses of which was hunting mammals. Unauthorized hunting weapons and illegal hunters not only pose a threat to various animal species but have also become a life-threatening issue for environmental guards. In Iran, about 2,688 environmental guards are responsible for protecting 17 million hectares, and in recent years, some of them have been targeted by illegal hunters. Several of these environmental guards have also been tried for the murder of illegal hunters and are on the verge of execution.