A meeting on the protection and restoration of Iran’s Hoor al-Azim wetland emphasized the need for a comprehensive, expert-driven approach balancing oil development, environmental protection and local community interests.
Nasrollah Zarei, CEO of Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC), said parts of Hoor al-Azim remain alive and water-filled, with two reservoirs currently supporting water flow. He stressed that the wetland’s future should be addressed through scientific studies and dialogue among government agencies, experts and local stakeholders.
Regarding the Sohrab oilfield, Zarei said its environmental permit took about five years and underwent nine revisions, with hydrological and ecological concerns incorporated into the process. The 38-page permit contains specific requirements and commitments, and the Environment Protection Organization participated throughout the review.
He also said no new pads or roads have been constructed in the Hoor al-Azim area since the 2019 floods. The role of dikes and other water-control structures in retaining water should be assessed transparently using hydrological data, maps and engineering calculations.
On local development, Zarei said 81% of workers in the West Karoun oilfields are local residents, while oil-sector recruitment is governed by formal procedures prioritizing qualified local workers. He also highlighted training programs that prepared 252 local people in 2017, more than 220 of whom subsequently joined West Karoun operations.
Environment officials called for a comprehensive Hoor al-Azim conservation and restoration plan, noting that around 90% of the domestic process for registering the wetland under the Ramsar Convention has been completed. They also said efforts are underway to attract international funding for restoration