Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Criminal Policy Strategies in Iran for the Protection of Water Resources

Abstract

Iran's water resources are facing serious and widespread environmental threats. Although certain laws have addressed legal and criminal strategies for the protection of these resources, such measures have not been entirely effective in addressing the existing challenges. Many of these legal provisions suffer from fragmentation and insufficient incorporation of environmental experts' knowledge, resulting in legislative deficiencies and practical inefficiency. The primary objective of this study is to propose legal, judicial, and executive solutions to enhance criminal policy regarding the preservation of these resources in Iran. The findings indicate that Iran's criminal policies in this field are disjointed and inadequate. Despite the legislator’s efforts to enact laws related to the protection of water resources, the lack of coordination between executive and judicial bodies and the ineffective use of environmental expertise have weakened these policies. This study demonstrates that the current criminal policies of Iran concerning water resource protection require serious revision. The development of a “Comprehensive Water Law” could foster better coordination among the three branches of government and promote more effective utilization of expert capacities. This, in turn, would strengthen the protection of water resources and contribute to improved management of these vital assets.