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COP17: Iran Brings US-Israel Conflict into UN Land and Drought Talks in Ulaanbaatar | Peak News

COP17: Iran Brings US-Israel Conflict into UN Land and Drought Talks in Ulaanbaatar

Ч.Сумъяабазар
08 сарын 27, 2026

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Iran has used several interventions at the UN desertification conference in Mongolia to link drought and land degradation with war, sanctions, food security and international inequality.

While COP17 has largely focused on drought resilience, land restoration, finance and pastoralism, Iran's delegation has repeatedly brought broader geopolitical issues into the discussions.

The strongest remarks came during the Ministerial Dialogue on Drought Resilience on August 25, when Iran accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iranian food and pharmaceutical infrastructure and rangelands. The delegation also claimed that people working on environmental issues had been killed.

Iran argued that sanctions and blockades were preventing food and energy from reaching countries and described global supplies as being controlled by what it called “hegemonic powers”.

The remarks were made during a session intended to address practical solutions to drought, including financing, early-warning systems, food and water security and international cooperation. Iran was officially listed among the ministerial speakers.

Reza Aflatouni, Deputy Minister of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Environmental issues remain central

Iran's interventions were not exclusively political. The delegation has participated in COP17 discussions on sand and dust storms, drought financing and rangeland restoration, highlighting Iran's experience with environmental management in arid and semi-arid regions.

During discussions on sand and dust storms, Iran emphasised the need for regional cooperation because dust events cross national borders and affect agriculture, health and livelihoods. Iran is also part of a regional initiative involving several West Asian countries to address the problem.

Iran has also argued that unilateral sanctions hinder sustainable development and international environmental cooperation, calling for such measures to be lifted.

The delegation connected these arguments with a wider criticism of the international system, questioning how countries can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals while conflicts continue in the Middle East.

A political message at an environmental summit

Iran's approach has stood out because it has combined conventional environmental policy with direct criticism of international political and economic pressure.

The UNCCD says COP17 brings together representatives of its 197 Parties to address land degradation, drought and desertification. The conference is scheduled to conclude on August 28 in Ulaanbaatar.

Iran, however, has argued that environmental resilience cannot be separated from the political and economic conditions facing countries.

Its interventions therefore offer a broader interpretation of the COP17 agenda: drought and land degradation are not only environmental problems, but issues closely connected to conflict, food security, economic restrictions and international cooperation.

Editor’s note: Statements concerning the United States and Israel are attributed to the Iranian delegation. The quotations are based on a UN Web TV transcript that is automatically generated.

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