IRNA - Vice-President and Head of the Department of Environment Masoumeh Ebtekar called her talks with Iraqi officials positive and promising.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, she said, “We are trying to stabilize the soil and resolve the crisis of particle pollution through engagement with all sides.”

“Sources of the dust pollution crisis in southwestern province of Khuzestan have been detected during President Hassan Rouhani's recent visit to the province,' Ebtekar said hoping that the meaures underway to end the crisis would be effective.

She pointed to her last week meeting with the head of United Nations Environment Programme Erik Solheim in Tehran and said that the two discussed countering particle pollution in the West Asia, particularly in Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

She stressed that UN seeks decreasing of dust pollution through regional and international mechanisms.

The official said that the international conference on particle pollution and regional cooperation will be held in Tehran in the next Iranian calendar year (to begin on March 20, 2017).

Iran tries to find a solution for the particle pollution crisis through regional and international channels, Ebtekar said.

Dust pollution in south of Iran caused problems for people and resulted in cut of water and electricity in some parts of the region last week.

On February 23, President Rouhani paid a day-long visit to Khuzestan to get closely familiar with measures taken to control the existing dust pollution in that province. Head of the Department of Environment also accompanied the President during the visit.

President Rouhani ordered necessary measures to put an end to the particle pollution crisis in the southern province.