World Bulletin / News Desk

23 Iranian provinces are currently being affected by dust storms, Iranian Vice President and head of Environmental Protection Organization Massoumeh Ebtekar said, ISNA news agency reported.

The capital city of Tehran was affected by dust storms for 117 days of the last solar year (ended on March 21), ISNA quoted Tehran Province's Environment Department director Mohammad-Hadi Heidarzadeh as saying.

He also went on to note that despite in the past the sources of the dust storms were from abroad, currently the main sources are inside the Province.

According to Iranian media outlets, the dust clouds were brought on by wind storms from Saudi Arabia and Iraq.