According to the Department of Environment’s Public Relations Office, Shina Ansari, Vice President and Head of the Department of Environment, met with Qatar’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change on COP29's opening day in Baku, Azerbaijan. Ansari underscored that Qatar’s participation in the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) adds significance to the environmental collaboration between Iran and Qatar.

Ansari noted that both Iran and Qatar are among the nations facing serious climate challenges, saying, “One of Iran’s top environmental concerns is sand and dust storms, which have plagued the region for years, creating widespread environmental issues in many of our provinces. Resolving this issue requires strong regional commitment and cooperation.”

She highlighted the critical importance of marine ecosystems in addressing climate change, adding, “The potential of ROPME remains largely untapped. We expect this environmental convention among Persian Gulf countries to become more active.”

“We are highly interested in strengthening environmental partnerships and sharing expertise with all neighboring countries, especially Qatar,” Ansari stated. She expressed hope that Iran-Qatar collaboration would inspire regional neighbors to establish a specialized task force to tackle dust storm challenges collaboratively.