The World Meteorological Organization defines a sand and dust storm (SDS) as a phenomenon where strong winds lift sand and dust from dry soils into the atmosphere, transporting particles over vast distances. Around 2,000 million tons of dust enter the atmosphere annually, affecting 330 million people and posing environmental, economic, and health risks. While some emissions are natural, unsustainable land and water management worsens the issue. 

Advances in monitoring and forecasting strengthen early warnings and mitigate impacts. Iran faces significant environmental, economic, and health challenges from SDS, which originate from both internal and external sources. Internal dust hotspots span over 5 million hectares across 23 provinces, while external sources primarily affect Iran through transboundary movements from neighboring countries.