Second expert meeting convened at the Supreme National Defense University in preparation for holding the National Conference on Environmental Hazards and National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran

According to the Center for Communications and International Relations of the Supreme National Defense University, the second specialized meeting in preparation for holding the National Conference on Environmental Hazards and National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran, chaired by Dr. Behzad Pour-Mohammad and attended by a group of national officials in the fields of water, electricity, and crisis management, as well as university faculty members, was held on Monday afternoon, December 21, under the title Scientific Meeting on Floods and National Security at the Supreme National Defense University.

     At the event held at Supreme National Defense University, Dr. Mohammad Reza Kavianpour—Professor at Khajeh Nasir University’s Faculty of Water Engineering, and Head of the Water Research Center at Iran’s Ministry of Energy—along with Engineer Javad Hajiani, Secretary of the National Committee on Adaptation to Water Scarcity, shared their perspectives on water shortages and proactive approaches to flood management nationwide. In their remarks, while highlighting the importance of strategic basin management, they underscored the need for integrated coordination across national institutions in crisis and flood management. They emphasized the urgency of reforming certain regulations to enhance effectiveness in this domain.

     Dr. Eisa Bozorgzadeh, Spokesperson for Iran's Water Industry, noted that each region of the country has unique characteristics, with floods posing varying risks based on environmental conditions, soil composition, and basin physics—making some areas vulnerable while others can leverage existing capacities for control. He identified the primary deterrent to flood damage as prohibiting construction within river corridors.  The second key measure to mitigate flood damage is early warning through media alerts; therefore, the simplest prevention strategy is avoiding risk exposure altogether.

     Engineer Mehdi Jahanian, Director General of Crisis Management and Passive Defense at Iran's Water Resources Management Company, outlined the Ministry of Energy's responsibilities regarding flood warnings. He identified the primary duty as safeguarding fellow citizens against life-threatening risks. The second duty involves protecting water industry infrastructure from floods to ensure continuous service delivery in the water sector.

     He concluded by highlighting the development of a comprehensive flood protocol, drawn from pre-incident data, to be distributed nationwide to colleagues across the country, while outlining key indicators for responding to unforeseen disasters. He then elaborated for attendees on countermeasures against damages, management strategies, predictive tools for incidents, and post-event recovery measures.