Unilateral sanctions main barrier to global drought cooperation, Iran minister tells UN summit
Iran’s agriculture minister said on Tuesday that unilateral sanctions were the biggest obstacle to international cooperation on combating drought, and that Tehran was ready to share its technical expertise in fighting desertification with the global community.
Gholamreza Nouri-Qezeljeh, speaking at the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) in Ulan Bator, outlined the effects of drought and land degradation on Iran’s food security and natural resources, and called for stronger international financial support and the removal of political and economic barriers to joint efforts against the global challenge, IRNA reported.
Iran has been under Western sanctions for decades over its nuclear activities. Beyond affecting the oil and energy sectors, the embargoes have imposed costs even in humanitarian areas, including access to medicines. “Combating desertification and drought will only succeed when international cooperation moves beyond slogans and political commitments toward practical action, providing financial resources, transferring technology, and implementing real projects in vulnerable countries,” he said.
The minister emphasized that while countries simultaneously face challenges from drought, climate change, land degradation and funding shortages, the international community must take a more responsible approach, free from political posturing, to smooth the path for cooperation and support for vulnerable nations.
Nouri-Qezeljeh said Iran, with 32 million hectares of desert areas, was on the front line of the fight against desertification and drought. He reiterated Tehran’s readiness to share its scientific capacity and technical knowledge in areas including water and soil management, watershed and aquifer management, forest and rangeland restoration, and agricultural resilience.
The COP17 conference, which runs from Aug. 17 to 28 in the Mongolian capital, is one of the most significant international gatherings of 2026 focused on land restoration, drought response and sustainable natural resource management, bringing together representatives from 197 parties to the convention.