Ibtikar's Account of the Negative Impact of Sanctions on Iran's Environmental Situation

The head of Iran's Environmental Organization stated that the failure to fully implement the nuclear agreement and the continuation of certain sanctions have jeopardized Iran's efforts to achieve its climate change goals and commitments. In an exclusive interview with Agence France-Presse published on Sunday, November 9, Masoumeh Ibtikar emphasized that the average temperature in Iran has increased by 1.5 degrees over the past two decades, highlighting an urgent need for cooperation with international partners. Under the global Paris Agreement on climate change, countries have committed to keeping the global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius by 2100 and to strive to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Iran is one of the signatories of this international agreement and has committed to unconditionally reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 4% over a 15-year period, and to increase this reduction to 12% if sanctions are fully lifted and international cooperation is established. Ibtikar pointed out that Iran is currently facing the consequences of climate change, which is not a future problem but a present issue. She stressed that Iran is experiencing severe shortages in groundwater reservoirs and the drying up of rivers and wetlands, noting that while part of this problem is due to unjustifiable actions within Iran, another part is due to the effects of global warming. According to Ibtikar, the lack of full connection with the international banking system, stemming from the remaining U.S. sanctions against Iran, has put Iran's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12% by 2030 at risk. She stated that two-thirds of the planned reduction depends on the complete lifting of sanctions, as this requires international cooperation, not just the exchange of experiences, but more importantly, the exchange of new technologies. Agence France-Presse noted that many international sanctions have been lifted in the wake of last year's nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, but sanctions imposed by the U.S. related to human rights and Iran's missile program have deterred global banks from cooperating with Iran. U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized that they have fulfilled their commitments under the nuclear agreement, but Iran has repeatedly blamed issues related to connecting to the U.S. international banking network. Iranian officials have acknowledged that only part of the current banking problems stem from the fears of major international banks to cooperate with Iran, while another part is related to the outdated structure of Iran's banking system.