Yerevan:Iran has announced its willingness to play a significant role in drafting a global treaty aimed at combating plastic pollution. The country emphasized that any agreement must take into account each nation's unique circumstances, development rights, and capacities.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, this announcement was made during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia. The meeting included Hamid Zohrabi, deputy head of Iran's Department of Environment for Natural Environment and Biodiversity, along with officials involved in negotiations concerning the plastics treaty.

The meeting was also attended by the director general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of International Organizations, the chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, and the executive secretary of its secretariat at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). During the discussions, the Iranian delegation presented Tehran's national positions, emphasizing the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the necessity of safeguarding countries' rights to development.

Furthermore, the delegation advocated for sufficient and predictable financial resources, technology transfer, and capacity-building support for developing nations. They cautioned against the imposition of uniform and unrealistic obligations on countries with varying economic conditions and infrastructures.

The Iranian representatives stressed that the forthcoming treaty should adopt a realistic and implementable approach, permitting countries to select measures that align with their national priorities and situations. COP17, occurring in Yerevan from October 19 to 30, is convening to evaluate progress under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to explore methods to enhance conservation efforts, mobilize financial resources, and fortify international collaboration.