Environment

PayvandNews – Khar Turan National Park or Touran Wildlife Refuge is an Iranian National Park in Semnan province, southeast of Shahrud. The place is home to one of the largest populations of the critically endangered Asiatic cheetahs. Currently there are about 60 collars in the world, all of which are living in Iran. Watch related video About: The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), also …

PayvandNews – French oil and gas major Total says it will try to push ahead with an Iranian gas project if the US decides to impose unilateral sanctions on the Islamic Republic.  The announcement was made by Total Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanne in an interview with International Oil Daily. Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne meets Iran’s President Rohani in Tehran (July …

PayvandNews – The Asiatic cheetah also known as Iranian cheetah is a Critically Endangered cheetah subspecies surviving today only in Iran. It once occurred from the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East to the Kyzylkum Desert, Caspian region, Pakistan and India, but has been extirpated there during the 20th century. The Asiatic cheetah survives in protected areas in the eastern-central arid region of …

PayvandNews – A cluster of World Heritage Volunteers has spotlighted essentials to conserve and promote Persian qanats, a UNESCO registered heritage that provides exceptional testimony to cultural traditions in desert areas with an arid climate. Within the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Program, the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative was launched in 2008 in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee for …

PayvandNews — As evidence displays, the capital’s air pollution and traffic congestion are amongst the main concerns of the newly-elected Tehran City Council.  During the first session of the fifth Tehran City Council on Wednesday, the chairman Mohsen Hashemi highlighted the need for following-up on different urban management plans with the aim of reducing traffic congestion and decreasing air pollution in …

PayvandNews – In a symbolic gesture to safeguard the environment a young bride from the western province of Ilam made the groom to pledge to plant 1372 trees as her “mahr” – a mandatory payment paid or promised to pay by the groom under Islamic law. A mahr (or mahriyeh) is typically specified in the marriage contract. While the mahr is …

payvand -Like other countries in the region, Iran faces a severe water crisis due to climate change and poor water management. One of the most visible reminders of this ongoing problem is Lake Urmia. Located in the northwestern corner of Iran, Lake Urmia’s watershed serves an agricultural regionwith a population of 6.4 million people.  Previously one of the largest salt lakes in …

PayavndNews – Iran and Russia signed a 2.5-billion Euro deal on joint manufacturing of passenger and cargo wagons in Iran, IRIB reported. The deal was inked between Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO) and Russia’s largest manufacturer of locomotives and rail equipment, Transmashholding, in Tehran on Monday. photo by Islamic Republic News Agency Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Mohammadreza …

Al-monitor — Iran is among the top wheat consumers in the world. Consumption per capita in the country is estimated at 167.6 kilograms (369 pounds) per year, almost three times the global average of some 67 kilograms (148 pounds). At the same time, Iran is one of the driest countries in the world, with an average rainfall of only 250 mm (10 inches) a year, causing huge …

PayvandNews -The waters of rich salt lake Maharloo (map), situated on the outskirts of Shiraz in southern Iran, look reddish for a good reason. The growth of bacteria and particularly seaweeds come to change the color of the water body which is rich in potassium and salts. In mid-summer the lake loses its water due to high evaporation leaving behind a white …