An Iranian expert addressed the effects of international sanctions, which are preventing Iran from making advances in many fields. Correspondingly, Tehran’s air pollution reached an alarming level this winter and has raised residents’ concerns about its health-related impacts.
“In general, it (pollution) has lasted a decade now, due to certain apparatuses’ nonfeasance, coupled with our weakness in the area of technology and international sanctions. Air pollution has occurred in Tehran and the other metropolises in the country as the European Union countries and the United States have imposed sanctions on Iran in the areas of pharmaceuticals, military, medicine, and even medical equipment. They have even refrained from helping and providing our country with information (about the pollution), not even in the form of written and scientific data,” explained Reza Keshavarz, a Crisis analyst.
A group of UN human rights experts stated on December 2022 that “it is no surprise that Tehran is one of the world’s most polluted cities. The US sanctions force people to prolong the use of older vehicles that burn fuel less efficiently while making it impossible for Iran to obtain equipment and technology to reduce vehicle emissions.”