"Prince Pahlavi" considered the fire in "Hyrkaniya" a symbol of government indifference

Referring to the fire in Hyrkani, Prince Reza Pahlavi blamed the Islamic Republic for this situation and declared that Iran was not important to the government because it was burning its thousands-year-old heritage.

The widespread fires in the Hyrcanian forests, one of the world's oldest biological reserves, have once again exposed the critical structure of environmental management in Iran. While these forests are part of the country's natural and historical identity, the Islamic Republic's response has been not only inadequate but, according to many experts, "careless, late, and politicized."

In this context, Prince Reza Pahlavi's outspoken response has received widespread attention and fueled a larger debate about the government's devaluation of Iran's heritage.

He issued a statement, noting that "this regime does not value Iran's heritage," warning: "The Islamic Republic is indifferent to the fire that has devastated the Hyrcanian forests, because for this anti-Iranian regime, the destruction of Iran's thousands of years of natural heritage is not important."

The prince then likened the burning of ancient forests to the destruction of several generations and wrote: "The Iranian nation will end this line of destruction, and with the end of this oppression, the country's environment will also be saved."

Reza Pahlavi also mentioned the environmental program "Iran's Prosperity Project" and emphasized that "a comprehensive and practical program for the restoration of Iran's environment" has been developed by the most prominent experts.

The question is, why is Hyrcanian so important? The Hyrcanian forests are 20 to 25 million years old and are remnants of the Tertiary geological period. In addition, they are home to thousands of plant and animal species, including species exclusive to Iran that were recently registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

These forests are not just a "green zone," but one of the oldest biological heritages in the world. A fire in such a place is like destroying a natural museum that is tens of millions of years old.

Many now believe that this crisis is structural, but why? For years, Iran has cut budgets for firefighting, helicopter renovations, forestry equipment, trained forces, and early warning systems due to a lack of sufficient funding for the protection of natural resources. But at the same time, the budgets for propaganda and security institutions have grown several times.

 The government’s late response: Despite the fire starting on November 1, authorities only “officially” declared the incident on November 14, a delay that allowed the fire to spread. The inability to use air power is another issue that experts have warned about for years, as Iran lacks a standard firefighting fleet and is forced to request foreign assistance every year.

Institutional conflicts and insular management are other structural factors in this crisis, as various organizations (natural resources, environment, crisis management, the IRGC, and governorates) do not have a unified structure, and their cooperation is slow and sometimes tense.

Politics rather than scientific management is also a large part of environmental management under the influence of security decision-makers, not experts.

This crisis and others like it also have environmental consequences, from soil erosion to the destruction of biodiversity, and widespread fires in Hyrcania will also have these consequences:

• Destruction of unique genetic resources
• Increased soil erosion and destructive floods
• Reducing the forest's ability to produce oxygen and absorb carbon
• Threat to the livelihoods of local communities
• Accelerating the destruction of northern forests, which have now decreased from 3.6 million hectares to less than 1.6 million.

Experts have warned that some burned areas will not be able to recover for the next 40 years.

This disaster is not just a fire, but has become a symbol of Iran’s lack of priority in the eyes of the Islamic Republic. When the budget for forest protection is reduced, but the budget for proxy and security groups is increased, and even a request for help from Turkey is made after “much delay,” it is natural for citizens to feel that the government sees Iran not as a “home” but only as a “base.” That is why the words of the Pahlavi prince received such widespread resonance.

Referring to the role of the Iranian Prosperity Project in the future of the environment, Prince Pahlavi claimed that:

• The program is designed to fully restore forests, water resources, soil, wetlands, and endangered species.
• The best Iranian experts from inside and outside the country are participating in this project.
• Scientific monitoring and restoration models such as GIS, ecosystem engineering, and sustainable resource management are included.

Given the severe destruction of natural resources, such a plan, if implemented, could be a turning point in Iran's history, but its implementation is only possible when environmental management becomes science-based, transparent, and accountable.

In the end, the main question is: "How many more parts of Iran's heritage must be burned before officials realize the importance of this land?"