TEHRAN — The Iranian government presented to parliament this month a swollen budget bill for the next Persian year, starting in March 2023. While the draft plan envisages huge boosts of up to 50% in security, intelligence and media spending, the share of tackling air pollution is reduced to half from roughly $8 million to $4 million.
The cut specifically targets the Clean Air Law (CAL). It came into force in 2017 under then-moderate President Hassan Rouhani and remains the sole robust regulation focused on the environment.