Iran has prioritized 30 critical domestic source areas for sand and dust storms through a national assessment. The United Nations Development Programme supported this initiative to strengthen environmental resilience against growing atmospheric hazards. More than 25 provinces face severe ecological impacts that threaten public health, transport networks, and agricultural productivity. Consequently, state institutions are shifting from reactive responses toward proactive prevention and long-term risk mitigation.
Official reports indicate that 20 percent of Iranian territory falls within high- or very-high-risk categories. Therefore, environmental managers are integrating hazard intensity data with population maps to identify high-risk overlapping zones. This evidence-based strategy directs funding toward vulnerable landscapes that require urgent soil stabilization and vegetation restoration. Furthermore, targeted conservation efforts aim to preserve threatened wetlands and protect vital transport infrastructure across affected regions.
Since 2023, international experts have collaborated directly with Iran’s Department of Environment on management solutions. Together, they established technical frameworks within the National Secretariat for the Sand and Dust Storms Phenomenon. Furthermore, Dr. Behzad Raygani stated that joint efforts have advanced mitigation measures across four key provinces. Authorities have installed fixed and portable monitoring systems, significantly enhancing national early-warning and forecasting capabilities.
In Semnan’s Touran landscape, conservationists combined native vegetation restoration with improved agricultural water efficiency. This integrated approach stabilized 270 hectares of protected habitat, safeguarding the endangered Asiatic cheetah population. Meanwhile, local working groups in Ilam and Khuzestan created tailored action plans to clarify organizational responsibilities. Consequently, regional authorities can implement targeted landscape interventions while maintaining continuous monitoring of designated dust-source areas.
Global leaders discussed these practical environmental interventions during the UNCCD COP17 conference in Mongolia this August. Iran presented its comprehensive monitoring model, emphasizing how proactive land restoration can reduce airborne dust hazards. Looking forward, international partners plan to integrate indigenous knowledge into future multifunctional land management strategies. These ongoing efforts will combine renewable energy projects with landscape restoration to protect vulnerable communities nationwide.