20 November 2025, Iran, Elit: Smoke rises over hills in northern Iran. In the provinces of Masandaran and Golestan, fires are threatening the species-rich Hyrcanian Forest. With an age of up to 50 million years, it is one of the oldest deciduous forests in the northern hemisphere and is home to many rare and endangered species - including leopards, wolves and brown bears. Photo: Mehrab Farsad/dpa