War Exposes Decades of Scientific Isolation in Iran
The ongoing war in Iran has severely hindered scientific research, laying bare the long-running isolation of Iranian scientists from the global community. According to a report from Mongabay dated July 6, 2026, international sanctions and the conflict have restricted access to funding, professional development, and international collaboration. Iman Ebrahimi, deputy director of the AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society, stated, “Iran’s nature, Iranian conservationists and Iranian researchers have been isolated for a long time. The war has made that isolation more visible, but it did not create it.”
AvayeBoom’s Conservation Efforts Amid Conflict
Even during the war, the Isfahan-based NGO AvayeBoom (co-founded by Ebrahimi in 2015) has continued its mission of “reconnecting people with wetlands through birds.” After a tenuous ceasefire in mid-April 2026—more than a month after the war began on February 28, 2026, with a joint attack by Israel and the U.S.—Ebrahimi and his team visited Maharloo Lake, the “hottest spot for flamingo breeding in Iran.” They observed at least 5,000 greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), with unprecedented winter rains and reduced agricultural and industrial activity (muted by the war) contributing to the lake’s high water levels.
Reconnecting Communities with Nature in Arjan Wetland
AvayeBoom has worked with communities around the Arjan wetland—a biodiversity hotspot and part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southwestern Iran—for over five years. The wetland faces threats from drought, livestock overgrazing, well drilling, and agricultural conversion, leaving it dry for part of the year. The group selected the ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) as a flagship species to foster environmentally responsible behaviors and economic benefits through bird-watching. Paintings of the ruddy shelduck now adorn school walls, and the team stays with community members during visits, indicating local support for conservation.
The Toll of Sanctions and War on Iranian Science
Decades of sanctions imposed by the U.S., EU, and U.N. have crippled Iranian science, blocking funding and limiting access to journals, databases, and professional learning. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan, an economics professor at Marburg University in Germany, noted that sanctions weaken the middle class and contribute to brain drain. The war has exacerbated these issues, with strikes on educational and research facilities damaging infrastructure and knocking out electricity and telecommunications. In a paper published in Science, Farzanegan and a colleague proposed a “humanitarian corridor for science” to support Iranian researchers through fellowships, grants, visa assistance, and streamlined access to resources, while operating within legal and security restrictions.
Persecution of Conservation Scientists
Iranian scientists also face persecution from their own government. In 2023, five conservationists working to protect Asiatic cheetahs were arrested on suspicion of spying. On July 1, two of them—Houman Jowkar and Sepideh Kashani—were sentenced to death along with Sepideh’s sister, Sima Kashani. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) called for their release, highlighting their contributions to cheetah survival.
Environmental Concerns Beyond the Battlefield
The war threatens ecosystems beyond direct conflict. A study in Nature Sustainability warned of the war’s “long environmental shadow,” especially from oil spills in the Strait of Hormuz, which could take up to five years to flush out and would harm marine life like dugongs. Researchers call for scientific monitoring, but years of sanctions have prevented the establishment of environmental baselines. Ebrahimi noted, “In the Strait of Hormuz, the environmental problems did not begin with war.”
The Urgent Need for Global Scientific Inclusion
Ebrahimi (age 32, experiencing his first war) emphasized that global conservation efforts cannot ignore parts of the world. AvayeBoom is now documenting the war’s impacts on the Arjan wetland, a critical bird flyway. Farzanegan quoted the Persian poet Saadi: “Human beings are members of one body. When one part is in pain, the others cannot remain indifferent.”