Iran has put forward a proposal to establish a joint Park of Peace and Friendship with Armenia. The goal of this initiative is to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the field of biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection in the Caucasus region.
According to IRNA, Hamid Zohrabee, Deputy Head of Iran's Department of Environment (DOE), met with his Armenian counterpart Aram Meymaryan during the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17), which took place in Armenia from October 19 to 30.
The proposed cross-border park aims to promote joint efforts to conserve biodiversity in northwestern Iran and the Caucasus region, as well as ensure the protection of vital corridors for wild animals, including routes used by the Persian leopard.
During the meetings, officials also discussed ways to expand environmental interaction and address common issues, particularly concerning the protection of the Aras River.
Meymaryan welcomed the proposal and highly praised the active participation of the Iranian delegation in COP17.
Both representatives agreed to form a working group to monitor the implementation of agreements reached after the summit.
COP17 was held in two stages: first, technical discussions took place, followed by the ministerial segment. The leaders' summit was held on October 16, during which President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke. This marked the first time that the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran attended the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties.
Speaking at the summit, Pezeshkian called for 'peace diplomacy' to protect biodiversity, condemning the destructive impact of aggressive wars on the environment as ecocide. He strongly urged the international community to develop effective, transparent, and implementable mechanisms for preserving natural heritage during military operations.
Shina Ansari, Head of the Department of Environment, also addressed the meeting participants, stating that environmental diplomacy can become a tool of peace diplomacy, and the link between biodiversity, peace, and security must be viewed as a bilateral process.
Ansari emphasized that the connection between biodiversity and peace is not merely an ethical or political issue, but a fundamental problem in the field of environmental management, international law, and human security.
According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, she noted that the main causes of biodiversity loss are generally considered to be land-use change, habitat destruction, pollution, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, and climate change.
The Iranian delegation met with Vivek Menon, Chairman of the IUCN SSC Species Survival Commission. They discussed methods to enhance cooperation in developing programs for the management and conservation of endangered species.
Discussions focused, in particular, on conservation and restoration programs for the Asiatic cheetah, the great bustard, and the Persian onager in their natural habitats, as well as the reintroduction of the Persian gazelle to its native areas.
The parties also discussed increasing technical and scientific cooperation and providing funding under sanctions.
Menon expressed hope that continued interaction between IUCN staff and Iranian experts would ensure the survival of endangered species such as the Asiatic cheetah in Iran.
This year, Iran officially joined the Coalition Actions for Endangered Species Recovery (CARES), which aims to strengthen international cooperation for the conservation and restoration of the country's wildlife.
CARES was presented at COP17 in Yerevan on October 16. The initiative was launched by Colombia and Armenia together with 17 founding states: Armenia, Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the United Kingdom, and Vanuatu. Iran became a member of the coalition as the 18th country.
The coalition is supported by the Reverse the Red Action partnership as its secretariat. The membership document was signed by Zohrabee on October 26.
Speaking at the event, Zohrabee stressed the need for fair distribution of resources and technologies to save endangered species.
Iran's name will be listed on the coalition's website as a country that has developed action plans for the conservation of 40 wild animal species to benefit from technical, scientific, and financial support from CARES.