Tehran, March 30, IRNA -- The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on expansion of environmental cooperation between the two sides.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the 8th special session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Cheju, South Korea, by Iranian Vice President and Head of the Department of the Environment (DoE) Masoumeh Ebtekar and UN under- Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Klaus Topfer.

The MoU calls for expansion of mutual cooperation in evaluating environmental standards, capacity building, augmenting environmental knowledge, expansion of regional and sub-regional cooperation, projects pertaining to environmental funds as well as filing a comprehensive report on the status of environment in Iran.

The Iranian envoy to the conference called on the UNEP to establish its regional office in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Iranian vice president and head of the DoE also conferred with Switzerland environment minister on expansion of mutual cooperation on environment.

Referring to disastrous environmental situation in the occupied lands of Palestine, she urged the international community to pay due attention to the issue.

Addressing the World Environmental Ministers' Meeting on Monday, Ebtekar announced Iran's support for international initiatives to promote sustainable global development as well as combination of environmental policies with development strategies.

She warned against severe climatic conditions, bio-diversity and safety, saying, "All countries should pay further attention to their common responsibility towards the world."

Global environmental issues related to water, infrastructure reforms for better coordination of environmental conventions and protocols are among the topics to be discussed at the meeting.

Ebtekar left here Saturday to attend the World Environmental Ministers' meeting as well as the the 8th special session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).