Persian Cheetahs in the World Cup

After Sepp Blatter visited Iran last year, I proposed that  the  Iranian team use the design of our Persian Cheetah on their jerseys . Blatter brought the idea up in the FIFA council and  the Iranian national team beame the first allowed to use a symbol of biodiversity on its shirt. The Persian Cheetah was designed by an NGO and nature loving artists in Tehran.

In addition, a ball was painted with the design of 31 other countries' endangerd species , named the Bio Ball.

I formally delivered the ball to the Captain last week , before  their departure to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Our team was named "Persian Cheetah" after these events and the issue recieved much publicity. 

Iran is taking part in the World Cup with a message of Peace and Protection of our global environment. We hope that all teams will join us in this campaign and spread the message.

Revisiting the Legacy of Imam Khomeini

I twitted on my Twitter this morning:Imam Khomeini's efforts to establish new model of governance/religious democracy were countered by reactionaries who see no role for people. This phrase marks the major challenges we face today in following the legacy of the Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran. From the very early days of the national awakening and uprising against the tyranny of the Shah, Imam Khomeini was approached by radical elemants to take up arms and to invite the people to engage in armed struggle against the monarchial  regime. Imam refrained and emphasized instead on the cultural nature of the revolution and invited people to resist through peaceful protests and strikes. This non violent approach was they key to the massive nationwide support for Imam. 

As opposed to a monarchial dictatorship based on subservience to the west , Imam called for a democratic state based on religious values. Reactionary elements pressed for an Islamic State, while Imam called for national consultations and for an Islamic Republic. These elements went so far as to ask Imam to establish the new state based on demonstrations staged for the Revolution, while Imam stressed on a nationwide referendum which was held in 1979.

In every stage reactionary elemants moved to weaken the democratic pillars of the Revolution , while Imam stood firmly to enact elections and bring people to the polls .He was determined to educate a nation deeply harmed by decades of tyranny and imperialist dominance. If it were not for the fierce and violent attacks of monarchists and radicals and if it were not for the continued active opposition of the west against the Revolution , and fear of  a repetition of history(the Coup of 1953), many observers believe Imam would have taken a less forceful stance against his opponents. Yet what happened later in many parts of the world, and during the Arabian spring or awakening, in countries like Egypt, proved that Imam's vigilance for those early years of the revolution was justified.

Even during the difficult years of war imposed by Saddam Hussein against Iran, Imam never allowed any cancellation of elections or polls .

Along side this democratic approach, Imam also strongly advocated transparency, accountability and an ethical demeanour for Muslim politicians and those wielding power. "The egoistic and selfish drives are the greater enemy" his stressed in most addresses that he made.  The paradigm that Imam envisaged a bold role for women in social and political affairs. Women were never considered as second hand citizens by Imam, but a new pardigm for  women's advancement was enacted in Iran. 

During the 3.5 decades that have elapsed Iran has faced many challenges both external and internal, the Islamic Republic has met expectations in some areas and at some times, at others however there are still  serious issues which need to be addressed. We need to reassess and revisit our actions to ensure that we are still on the right path.

Today an active reactionary campaign is underway to distort and smear the thoughts and ideas of Imam, they are those who have followed their personal or party  agenda these years and have no regard for God or for the nation.

Biodiversity Day

International Biodiversity Day was commemorated yesterday at the DOE Convention Center, in Tehran.We had invited major film producers and artists to appreciate their efforts to enhance public awareness on environmental 
 I spoke about the intrinsic value of the biological diversity that the earth harbors and how this diversity is diminishing. I also noted how important the services this diversity provides and as an example I mentioned the role of bees in pollination of over 60% of our agricultural products. Bee population and species worldwide have been seriously endangered by pesticides use and their products contaminated by toxic chemicals.

We need to educate people on the importance of the protection of our biodiversity for the well being of our people.We our proud that many celebrities have joined us in this campaign to save our natural flora and fauna.

Twelfth Congress of immunology

The Iranian Association for Immunology and Allergy is one of the many scientific associations active in Iran. They had elected me last year as the President of their twelfth Congress.The Congress was held last week at the Milad tower in Tehran. In addition to over 1800 articles submitted to the Congress,

we had over 2000 participants, 40 workshop sessions, dozens of panels and an exhibition for  knowledge based corporations in this field.We also had over 30 international guests, all distinguished Professors of Immunology, including Rolf Zinkernagel, the Medicine Nobel prize laureate of 1996. 

I spoke at the opening ceremony stressing upon the fact that we believe that knowledge has no  boundaries and that it belongs to all humanity, then we should all strive to remove barriers and restrictions set for certain nations. Also, I noted that this great Congress shows how Iranian scientists contribute to this global wealth.This congress is being held when Tehran is experiencing better air quality due to in part, improvement in the quality of petroleum  I said and proposed that an interdisciplinary field of environmental immunology be followed more seriously. I was also honored to invite our Nobel laureate guest to the podium for his speech. Zinkernagel who had discovered the mechanism by which T cells confront viral infections, was now questioning some of the basic dogmas of immunlogy including memory.

The Congress convened all its sessions with high attendence and during the closing ceremony the head of the International Union of Immunological Associations Seppo Morino, noted in his speech that he had attended many Congresses but that he believed this was one of the best in terms of organization, scientific content and attendance.  Our Iranian colleagues had done a great job! 

Prospects for Moderation

Now that eight months have elapsed from the instalment of the government of Dr. Rouhani, it has become more clear how moderation is translated into policy at national and external levels. Serious measures have been taken to improve economic conditions,curb inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, enable a gradual revision of current subsides policy,  and support for employment generation schemes .On social and political dimensions more lawfulness,respect for citizen's rights and freedoms, a resolution of the political stalemate after the 2009 disputed elections ,inclusion of diverse political tendencies in social processes and more support for NGOs,free press, arts and cinema.Dr. Rouhani has faced tremendous pressures and  numerous hurdles in this path. In addition, the government has clearly dealt with environmental issues and the recent improvement in fuel quality and air pollution is an important step in that direction. Resolution of the nuclear issue and improvement of relations with the world have also been pursued in the context of moderation policies. These developments have faced fierce confrontation by radical elements and supporters of the previous government.

The fact that many countries have welcomed this change in policy has  angered radical groups and caused them to react. The firm resolution of the government to pursue the policies of moderation is now evident.

In the Department of Environment we have embarked on a major strategy of "environmental diplomacy" during these months and we have recieved positive feedback in some areas. I met with a group of French Senators last week. We talked about environmental challenges but also ways to improve relations. Since I spoke a few minutes in French, Senator Marini told me they were pleased to meet a Francophone in the Cabinet of Dr. Rouhani.

 

Japan and Iran for the Environment

"We failed 40 years ago on environmental issues, then we changed our policies, then we had no ministry for the environment , now we have the best standards the Japanese Diet is very serious about environmental regulations". The were the words spoken by the speaker of Japan's parliament in our meeting on last Friday in Tokyo. Tokyo' s most beautiful attraction is Sakora or the cherry blossoms which lasts only one week and  coincided with our visit.

I was in Tokyo to sign a joint memorandum of cooperation on environment and to visit Japanese authorities. I had a chance to visit Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the first day and to meet with top private sector leaders on environment technologies. I spoke at the Japan Naional Press Club and responded to questions from journalists. We signed the joint MOC in the Ministry Of Environment in Tokyo.That day was the 13 th of Nowroz or Nature Day in Iran. On the second day I had a visit to a very successful power plant with over 65% efficiency and to a water purification plant with many innovations.

 I then spoke at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation on "Iran in the Era of Moderation" , they were interested to hear about the recent developments in internal and foreign policy. I spoke about the resolve of the President to improve relations with the world and about environmental diplomacy. 

We had a meeting with Prime Minister Abe in which he stressed upon his agreement with Dr. Rouhani to work on the environment . 

I then spoke at the UN University in Tokyo on Environmental Challenges , I also mentioned the need for dialogue and understanding in today's world referring to the approach that a prominent Iranian philosopher Shahabedin Sohrevardi took to find common roots between Iranian , Greek and Islamic 

I also met with the Parliament speaker, the Foreign Affairs vice Minister and many private sector officials including the International Friendship Group. I had the  chance to ride an electric car as well. 

I believe that since environmental issues are of a global nature all members of the international community need to work to improve those conditions. 

Although the work load and meetings were very tight and we lost alot of sleep but we enjoyed our visit. I hope that this visit will  enhance collaboration and open way for better environmental conditions in Iran and more peace and security in our region.

Golestan in Nowroz

Golestan province is located in the north of Iran close to the border of Turkemenistan and also the Caspian sea. This province has a unique climatic and ethnic diversity. Gomishan International Wetland, Alagol, Almagol and Agigol wetlands are among the beautiful sites for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds that arrive each year. Golestan National Park is also one of the most important reservoirs of biodiversity, including pristine natural forests which are "relic" due to their historical significance. Turkemens are one of our important ethnic populations who have more or less preserved their traditional lifestyles.Their traditional attire, arts and handicrafts as well as their talent in breeding horses in this region all indicate how appropriately they have preserved their culture. I visited Golestan during Nowroz vacations, and had the chance to meet our DOE Rangers in our protected, areas and most important two of them who were seriously injured last month by a group of illegal poachers in our protected areas. Although I had visited Golestan several times before but again we visited places we had not seen before and awsome scenery that reflected the magnificent powers of the wilderness. I hope to make serious efforts in collaboration with local authorities and people to protect and wisely manage the natural resources and biodiversity of Iran.

Kalaleh, Gorgan River

Kahkeshan Heights , Border of Shahrood

Rangelands

Almagol Wetland

A Visit to Muscat

Enhancing relations with the world and neighbours has been the hallmark of  Dr. Rouhani's foreign policy. I joined the President and some members of his cabinet for his visit to Oman this week. Strengthening of bilateral relations and promoting mutual interest were on the agenda. Peace and stability in the Persian Gulf region and better economic relations are among the major objectives of this visit. In addition to an official welcome ceremony in the Royal Palace, and official reception and talks, we made several individual meetings . I met the Omani Minister of Environment and we spoke about the importance  of  joint training and educational activities as well as cooperation under international conventions. 

We signed an MOU on bilateral cooperation  for environmental activities this morning in the Ministry of Environment. I also paid a visit to the Qorum Protected  Area, which is a coastal wetland in Muscat. Later, I took part in the meeting of the President with local University Faculty members. Dr. Rouhani spoke about the importance of countering terrorism and extremism in the region. He emphasised upon the indispensible role of Academics in this regard. Favorable relations between our two countries can play a strategic role in enhancing prosperity and promoting peace in the Persian Gulf region.

AlMonitor Interview

Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari (R) meets with Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Baghdad, Feb. 2, 2014.  (photo by REUTERS/Ahmed Saad)

Iran's environment VP to Al-Monitor: 'We lost eight years'

Tehran, the overpopulated and heavily polluted capital city of Iran, is in constant struggle withenvironmental issues. Among the most drastic and dangerous issues is the city's ever-present pollution, which worsens in winter, causing schools and offices to close on some days, and prompting officials to caution residents — in particular children, the elderly and sick — to refrain from leaving their home.

President Hassan Rouhani has invested his hopes in Masoumeh Ebtekar to resolve these issues. Ebtekar, 53, was the first woman to become a Cabinet member and a vice president after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ebtekar, who spent part of her childhood in the United States and attended an American school in Tehran afterward, became a well-known face during the hostage crisis. Due to her fluency in English, she was the spokeswoman and translator for the hostage-takers.

Ebtekar is a scientist and previously served as editor-in-chief of Keyhan newspaper's English edition from 1981 to 1983. She has written books, articles and scientific papers on her domain of expertise — the environment — and she has also co-written an English-language book, titled Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 US Embassy Capture, on the hostage crisis and in response to the book Argo.

Under former President Mohammad Khatami, Ebtekar was a Cabinet member and head of the governmental Environmental Protection Organization for eight years. In 2007, she became a Reformist council member for the Tehran City Council, where she served until 2013 while maintaining her position as a university professor.

Following the 2013 election of Rouhani — whose candidacy she supported — there were speculations about her being tapped for the minister of science position. But she again assumed office as a vice president, and returned to head the Environmental Protection Organization.

Ebtekar has received several international awards and has been recognized for her efforts in protecting the environment, though she was also widely criticized for a paper she wrote in 2008, on the grounds that she had copied the material from previously published papers. The journal pulled her paper and apologized, and Ebtekar herself admitted that she had "made a mistake."

On Jan. 15, she was asked to speak before Friday prayers in Tehran about the topic of clean air. Shortly after, it was announced that her speech was canceled, with no explanation as to why.

I spoke with Ebtekar about serious environmental and pollution challenges in Iran, and most of all, its capital. The interview was conducted over the phone in Farsi, and the following is an English translation.

Al-Monitor:  What is the first step in addressing pollution issues in Iran?

Ebtekar:  Tracking the root of pollution in Iran creates an in-depth understanding of it. Our society is a transitioning one — one that has, in fact, transformed at great speed from a traditional society dependent on agriculture to an industrialized, oil-dependent urban one. Such a transition requires enough resources to educate people and create the type of culture required for practical urban life, which has not been provided to our citizens, at least not as much as it should have been. Citizens' cooperation is vital in reducing the extent of pollution.

Al-Monitor:  Why, in your opinion, is there insufficient cooperation from Iranian citizens in this regard?

Ebtekar:  To cooperate, people need to trust their government. They also need to know the details of decisions and priorities. Another important element is the active presence and effective role of nongovernmental organizations, which is what we in the current administration value greatly. President Rouhani's focus on ecological issues and related shortcomings is significant; for which I am grateful. 

Al-Monitor:  You have made 12 trips to different provinces in Iran since you assumed office in the Rouhani administration. In what way do you believe them to have been mostly fruitful?

Ebtekar:  One of the matters on which I have focused during these trips and will continue to focus on, is engaging with grassroots organizations and our need to rely on their help. People have generally become more hopeful and expect further engagement and transparency regarding data and planning, which we will provide with the hope of facilitating this cooperation and creating a fruitful mutual relationship in working on environmental issues. 

Al-Monitor:  Do you have faith in succeeding at improving the pollution in Iran's bigger cities, most significantly in Tehran?

Ebtekar:  The problem of pollution would have been resolvable with proper planning. I had overseen the planning a decade ago, and it was to be carried out over a time period of 10 years, which, for whatever reason, did not happen under the previous administration. Targeted subsidies and planning projects aimed at further improving the polluted air situation of busy cities will hopefully help. We must have faith, and we need to trust collective thinking and cooperation.

Al-Monitor:  Are there any cities that have experienced similar problems to Tehran and have succeeded in solving them? Could you benefit from their ideas and experiences in this regard?

Ebtekar:  Tehran's nature is one of the most beautiful in the world, particularly thanks to the Alborz Mountains, which are, at the moment, snow-capped and even prettier than usual. These same mountains, however, act similarly to a bowl surrounding Tehran and obstruct sufficient air flow, thus adding to the amount of pollution. 

Mexico City had similar problems in the past. It is also a similar city to Tehran from the viewpoint of urban patterns and structural aspects. They have managed to solve a major part of their issues, and we were making efforts to learn from both their strong and their weak points. All of these efforts were disrupted eight years ago. We need to restart the planning process and act according to the increased number of people living in Tehran. 

Al-Monitor:  You have criticized Iran's petrochemical sector, saying that international standards are not met in refining petroleum products, resulting in nonstandard gasoline in cars, which contribute in a major way to the pollution in busy cities. What is the latest on this? 

Ebtekar:  We have no problem in communicating effectively with the current Ministry of Petroleum. [Oil Minister Bijan] Zanganeh is a very committed, precise and knowledgeable person, and we are working closely with his ministry to make up for lost time and the work on which we have fallen behind. 

Our deputies have regular meetings considering such matters. A major problem we have with standardized, or lack thereof, fuel, is rooted in vehicles and their consumption structure. Both imported and domestic cars have some serious shortcomings, of which the auto industry and importers have been warned. Some have requested an extension to correct the failures, but regardless of the amount of time they need to correct these engineering, manufacturing or design issues, we are geared up to take serious action to implement the Euro 4 standards starting this spring.

Al-Monitor:  What is your take on the proposal to resolve Tehran's issues by moving the country's capital to another city?

Ebtekar:  There are mixed ideas and feelings about this. There is the potential to create some other problems, even if such a proposal goes through. It's difficult to predict the extent of benefits such a move would have.

There is, however, no doubt about Tehran's serious overpopulation, being a city that reached its ecological resource limitations in 1996, and a city where water needs to be imported from other parts of the country, due to its drastic water shortage.

Al-Monitor:  Is biking an option for Tehran residents? Do you consider it practical enough to be encouraged?

Ebtekar:  There is one district of Tehran — the 8th District — that has bicycle lanes and safety measures for those who wish to rent a bike from the station, pay the rental fee with a credit card and leave the bike in the bike station at a metro stop.

There are some other areas of Tehran in which we are working on providing the necessary amenities and implementing safety measures for cycling — riding conventional or electric bicycles, or electric motorcycles — to become feasible. There are obstacles, though. One is that Tehran, as it is mostly inclined and not flat, could not be considered a cycling-friendly city, generally speaking. The other is Tehran's high pollution levels, which make the city's air dangerous to breathe on some days. On such days, being outdoors, and especially exercising, may lead to health hazards, so we strongly discourage such activities.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/03/iran-environment-mahsoumeh-ebtekar.html##ixzz2uxnomsio

Iran Enviro Exhibition

Dr. Jahangiri, the current first VP, was the Minister of Industry and Mines during President Khatami when he agreed to outphase and stop the production of Peykan the popular, but polluting Iranian car in 2002. That measure was a milestone in Iran's surge to upgrade its car production and compete in global markets. I mentioned that point yesterday in the inaugural ceremony of the 13th Iran Enviro Exhibition in Tehran. Dr. Jahangiri and the Minister of Nature Protection of Armenia Mr. Hartounian were our special guests. The Ambassador of Italy also spoke on the readiness of Italian companies to work in Iran on environmental technologies. The strategy of promoting the green economy was embraced by Dr. Rouhani during his election campaign and we have taken several important steps in the DOE pursuant to that strategy including the revival of the "Environment Fund of Iran", incorporating important environmental policies in the budget, and convening the exhibition with the theme of green economy. We started late but the event was well received by both private sector and government sectors, NGOs also had a pavilion and were very visible.I spent over 6 hours in the exhibition visiting the booths and talking with people about what they had done for the environment. Corporations were active in fields like recycling, renewable energies, water and wastewater treatment technologies, education and advocacy. Many Iranians now consider the environment as a priority and this is an opportunity for the nation.

A visit to Iraq

Normalcy has returned to Baghdad in some districts, while in many others tight security measures and fear from terrorist attacks has disrupted normal life. The unsettling scenes we saw in Iraq were the remnants of decades long dictatorship and the terrible "awe and fear" operations of Mr. Bush. 

Heading a delegation from the Iranian DOE and invited by the Iraqi Minister of Environment , we visited Iraq last week. We met with high level officials including, The Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker Vice President, Foreign Minister, UNAMI Representative and Minister of Womens Affairs.

 After initial negotiations on environmental priorities, we came up with a joint implementation plan consisting of items related to education and training, monitoring and mitigation of dust storms, and international cooperation. We also decided to create three transboundary national parks to protect our common biodiversity on the borders. Our Iraqi hosts were very kind and while many, among them top officials, had lived in Iran for long times during Saddam's rule, they spoke Arabic ,Farsi and since one member of the delegation spoke Kurdish, we had a diversity of languages and cultures during meetings. Prime Minister Nouri Maleki emphasised on the importance of environmental cooperation and mentioned the resolve of his government to collaborate and to implement projects to control hot spots initiating dust storms. We also planted trees along a street in Karbala. The pilgrmage to visit four Imams ie. Imam Ali,Imam Hussein, Imam Musa Kazem and Imam Javad was inspiring. Since it was the first chance for all of us, we enjoyed this part of the trip as well. Security was very tight in all our visits and our Ambassador Mr. Danaeifar did a great job to make this visit beneficial in promoting bilateral relations

Energy Globe Lifetime Achievement Award

http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/113750-irans-environment-chief-wins-energy-globe-award-