Iran does not plan to ratify the Paris climate agreement adopted in 2015 as long as the country remains under international sanctions, the head of their Department of Environment said on Wednesday.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"If Iran were to finalize its process of joining the Paris Agreement, it would not be able to implement it or enjoy its benefits because of the sanctions. How can it then engage (in this treaty) if it does not benefit from it," Ali Salajegheh was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.
According to French news agency AFP, Iran is a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change but never signed the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming.
"For Iran to sign and commit, the first condition is that the oppressive sanctions be lifted," Salajegheh said on the sidelines of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
"Our main message at this summit is that countries commit to discuss the lifting of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran as a priority," he added.
