Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the UNESCAP executive secretary in Tehran on Sunday.
The Iranian minister thanked the UN official for taking part in the Tehran-hosted International Conference on Combating Sand and Dust Storms (SDSs). He further stressed the need for regional and international cooperation to eliminate dust production root-causes in the region and the world.
He blamed big powers beyond the region for the dust storms challenge because of the wars they have waged in the region. Meanwhile, he considered climate change to be another factor for increasing the environmental challenge.
He also voiced Iran's readiness to develop cooperation with UNESCAP in tackling natural disasters and eliminating dust storm factors in the region.
Alisjahbana, for her part, announced her UN body's readiness to support Iran in tackling the challenge of dust particles.
She also appreciated Iran's assistance and cooperation with UNESCAP Centre for Development of Disaster Information Management (APIDM) and the very good hosting of its headquarters in Tehran.
She further praised the successful holding of the international conference in Tehran and called the attendance and delivering a speech by the Iranian president at the opening of the international event as a testimony that the Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great importance to international issues and the environment.