According to sources an Iranian general on Monday accused Israel of manipulating weather to prevent rain over the Islamic republic, alleging his country was facing cloud "theft", before being contradicted by the nation's weather chief. Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali, head of Iran's Civil Defense Organization reported "The changing climate in Iran is suspect”.
Jalali was quoted as saying that "Foreign interference is suspected to have played a role in climate change," and insisting results from an Iranian scientific study "confirm" the claim. He said "Israel and another country in the region have joint teams which work to ensure clouds entering Iranian skies are unable to release rain”.
Jalali added, "On top of that, we are facing
the issue of cloud and snow theft", citing a survey showing that above
2,200 metres all mountainous areas between Afghanistan and the Mediterranean
are covered in snow, except Iran. Moreover Iran's own meteorological service
struck a skeptical note, however. Furthermore General Jalali "probably has
a document of which he is not aware, but on the basis of meteorological
knowledge, it is not possible for a country to steal snow or clouds”. Further the
general's allegations of weather pilfering were not the first time an Iranian
official has accused the country's foes of stealing its rain.
