In a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Ebrahim Raisi instructed the Foreign Ministry and the Environment Department to immediately hold talks with neighboring countries, believed to be the source of the pollution.
“People cannot stand to witness the current situation and they expect the government to seriously pursue the matter,” the president said, adding, “People’s health is vital and the pollution is unbearable for them.”
The air quality levels saw an alarming drop in the country and shuttered schools, universities, and government offices in the capital Tehran and many other cities on Wednesday.
Authorities blame devastating dust storms emanating from neighboring Iraq and Syria as well as dam construction activities by Turkey for the pollution that reached “hazardous” levels
