Tehran: Vice President and head of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, has written to Iraq's newly elected president, Nizar Amidi, calling for strengthened bilateral cooperation to address common environmental challenges, including drought, desertification, and dust storms.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Ansari congratulated Amidi on his presidential victory and highlighted his long track record in environmental governance as a valuable asset for policy development in Iraq. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq, the letter noted, share geographic and climatic conditions that expose them to common environmental threats, including drought, desertification, and dust storms-issues whose impact extends beyond national borders and requires close, continuous, and strategic cooperation between the two neighbors.

Ansari expressed hope that during Amidi's term, environmental issues would gain prominence in bilateral relations. She emphasized the importance of joint cooperation in addressing crises, particularly in water resources management and controlling dust-storm sources. Amidi, Iraq's new president, previously served several years as Iraq's environment minister and headed the Iraqi delegation to the COP28 climate summit in 2023.