Iran VP claims country's drought is part of West's weather war on Islamic republic



The head of Iran's cultural heritage and tourism organization believes that in addition to economic sanctions, the West is launching another kind of 'soft war' on the Islamic republic.

Speaking at a ceremony to introduce the nation's new meteorological department chief, Hassan Mousavi said that he was 'suspicious about the drought in the southern part of the country.'

He went on to accuse the West as using 'technology' to influence the nation's climate, saying sand storms, droughts, and other extreme weather were the result of an unspecified method of war.

Drought: Speaking at a ceremony to introduce the nation's new chief of meteorological department, Hassan Mousavi said that he was 'suspicious about the drought in the southern part of the country'

‘The world arrogance and colonist (term used by Iranian authorities to label the West) are influencing Iran's climate conditions using technology,' Mr Mousavi was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency, according to the AFP.

‘The drought is an acute issue and soft war is completely evident... This level of drought is not normal.’

Iran's southern region has bee hit by sand storms that engulfed several cities, caused by numerous droughts.

The storms typically enter Iran from neighboring Iraq, where wars have increased the desertification of the country.

Riverbed: He went on to accuse the West as using 'technology' to influence the nation's climate, saying sand storms, droughts, and other extreme weather were the result of an unspecified method of war Dry: Iran's southern region has been hit by sand storms that engulfed several cities, caused by numerous droughts

His argument is not uncommon, however.

Last year, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Western countries of devising plans to ‘cause drought’ in Iran.

'Western countries have designed plans to cause drought in certain areas of the world, including Iran,' he said at the time.

'The drought is an acute issue and soft war is completely evident... This level of drought is not normal.' Hassan Mousavi

'According to reports on climate, whose accuracy has been verified, European countries are using special equipment to force clouds to dump' water on their own continents.

He continued: 'They prevent rain clouds from reaching regional countries, including Iran.'