Saturday, September 14, 2013

To Serve for the Environment

Sometimes destiny plays its game, sometimes you feel there is a reason behind God's will, a reason that you do not know or understand. The Iranian society faced very difficult times during the ninth and tenth governments. Radical and unexperienced groups infiltrated the executive branches and dealt severe blows to the economy, environment and culture. Students, journalists and activists faced harsh repercussions for resisting the deviations of those in power. We experienced set backs in many areas including international relations. Very few believed that a transformation could occur to change these trends, but  Presidential elections posed an opportunity which the people took for granted and changed the negative course of events. The composition of the new cabinet and the new Foreign Minister Dr. Zarif are all signs of a new era for Iran in both domestic and international affairs.

I was appointed as Vice President and Head of the Department of Environment by Dr. Rouhani on Tuesday. The difficult and deteriorating conditions of Iran's environment is manifest and this underlines the challenges that I will face. I believe that God has vowed to support His servants, if they stay steadfast in the path of righteousness and make effort to serve his creation . I hope and pray that I would be able to accomplish what I have undertaken, I pray that God assist me to withstand the pressures and difficulties to tolerate and listen to the expectations of the people and civil society.
 I hope that we can create synergisms and partnerships between industries, private sectors and all those in the economic arena to save Iran's precious biodiversity and nature. As a UNEP Champion of the Earth , I look forward to collaboration with academics and scientists from across the globe. Environmental issues are global in nature and I call upon all international organisations, international NGO' s and environmentalists to join our campaign to save our precious natural heritage.  I believe that environmental diplomacy can help to foster peace and better relations among nations in today's world. 
I began work a few hours after appointment , at 8 am in the DOE to indicate my resolve to work hard to change things. On my second day, I visited Lake Urumia National Park which is now under serious water stress and parts have dried up. Urumia is the largest lake in Iran. The DOE has completed many research projects in partnership with international consultants, but now is the time to act.



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