Iran’s western provinces have been suffering the impact of dust storms since Wednesday April 22, with limited visibility and disruptions to daily life being felt from Eastern and Western Azerbaijan, Zanjan, Kermanshah, to Khuzestan, Lorestan, Ilam, Chahar Mahal Bakhtiyari, and today also in Fars province and the City of Shiraz.
Fast winds have been carrying large volumes of dust in recent days. ISNA reports that “a new wave of dust storms has turned Shiraz air grey and suffocating”.
Shiraz city officials have urged the public to avoid going outdoors as much as possible, and there is hope that by tomorrow the air quality may improve.
In recent years, more than 20 Iranian provinces have been grappling with the problem of dust storms originating from Iraq and also from parts of Africa’s Sahara region.
In March, dust particles persisted in the air for many consecutive days in Ahwaz and several Khuzestan cities, causing serious interruptions to daily life there.