According to the Public Relations Office of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, during her meeting with Saad Abdullah Saad Al Mahmoud Al Sharif, Qatar's Ambassador to Iran, emphasized that Qatar, as a neighbor in the Persian Gulf, holds strategic importance for Iran. She noted that the countries' geographic proximity, close political relations, and high volume of trade underscore the importance of Iran-Qatar relations, particularly in environmental matters. Highlighting Qatar’s membership in the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) among Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman countries, Ansari stressed that environmental challenges—particularly sand and dust storms—pose serious issues for several Iranian provinces. Addressing this longstanding regional issue, she noted, requires the commitment and cooperation of neighboring countries.

Ansari also discussed the importance of marine ecosystems, emphasizing that the opportunities offered by the ROPME Convention have been underutilized. “We hope to see this environmental convention among the Persian Gulf countries become active,” she said. Ansari underscored the need for Iran and Qatar to collaborate under ROPME to address environmental issues affecting the Persian Gulf, expressing optimism that a close, bilateral partnership would help tackle the sand and dust storm problem. “We are eager to expand environmental cooperation, as well as to exchange information and expertise in environmental matters,” Ansari said. She also expressed hope that Iran and Qatar could encourage neighboring countries to establish a specialized task force for sand and dust storm management and collaborate on strategies for prevention, adaptation, and mitigation.

Qatari Ambassador in Tehran: We Are Ready to Fully Cooperate with Iran on Sand and Dust Storm Management

In response, Saad Abdullah Saad Al Mahmoud Al Sharif, the Qatari Ambassador to Iran, thanked Shina Ansari for the meeting, acknowledging the longstanding governmental and popular ties between Iran and Qatar. He noted that, following recent visits between the heads of state, the relationship now goes beyond mere neighborhood and brotherhood.The ambassador emphasized Qatar’s commitment to environmental issues and expressed full readiness to collaborate with Iran in managing sand and dust storms. He welcomed Iran’s proposals for sand and dust control initiatives and expressed Qatar’s willingness to implement measures in alignment with ROPME, assuring that he would convey Iran's suggestions to Qatar's relevant authorities.