Tehran — Iran’s Forests, Rangelands and Watershed Management Organization and the Endowments and Charity Organization have signed a cooperation agreement to mobilize endowment assets and private-sector investment for restoring and developing natural-resource areas.

 

The agreement was signed during a meeting chaired by Deputy Agriculture Minister and organization head Reza Aflatooni, with Endowments and Charity Organization chief Gholamreza Khamoushi in attendance.

 

Aflatooni said the development of wood farming is a priority following Iran’s legal ban on cutting forest trees, adding that the country’s roughly 135 million hectares of natural-resource areas require greater private-sector participation.

 

“The government cannot provide all the resources needed to manage such a vast area on its own,” he said, stressing the importance of private investment within the legal framework.

 

Aflatooni said endowment resources could support tree planting, forest-park restoration, tourism facilities and efforts to combat dust sources.

 

He added that restoring degraded areas could simultaneously reduce dust pollution, increase wood production, create jobs and generate economic activity.