Iran

Available data on contamination and release of anti-personnel (AP) mined areas in Iran continue to be extremely limited. There is no publicly available evidence to suggest that survey or clearance of anti-personnel mined areas took place in 2023. In June 2023, the Ministry of Transport of Iraq announced an agreement to clear the border areas between Iran and Iraq of landmines in order to establish a railway line, although no time frame for the clearance was given. An article published online in June 2024 suggested that the risk to people living in mine-affected areas in Iran’s western provinces remains high, with people often encountering landmines in pastures, forests, and villages. The article also suggested that Iran’s security strategies for the borders and western provinces have involved the re-laying of landmines, though no dates for this were given.

• Iran should accede to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) as a matter of priority.
• Iran should clear AP mines in areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, consonant with its obligations under international human rights law.
• Iran should report publicly on the extent and location of mined areas and prepare a plan for their clearance and destruction.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2024" report for Iran.