WANA (Aug 17) – A member of the Iranian Parliament’s Presiding Board has stressed the strategic importance of the Caspian Sea in environmental, economic and national security terms, saying Iran’s interests in the waterway are not negotiable and that the interests of all Caspian littoral states must be safeguarded collectively.
Speaking about the importance of the Caspian Sea, Somayeh Rafiei said the body of water holds particular significance for Iran from environmental, economic and national security perspectives and that the country’s interests there cannot simply be subject to negotiation.
Rafiei also stressed the distinction between the Caspian Sea Convention and the legal regime of the Caspian Sea, saying they are two separate issues. The convention was approved years ago, while four protocols related to environmental protection and the preservation of the Caspian marine ecosystem have also been approved by the Iranian Parliament.
She said that while the convention and its protocols have already been ratified, the legal regime governing the Caspian Sea is a separate and more fundamental issue that requires closer examination.
The parliamentarian noted that when it comes to international treaties and conventions, lawmakers have limited room to amend their provisions and can ultimately either approve or reject them in their entirety. If the relevant bill is formally introduced to Parliament, she said, it will be reviewed by the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee as the lead committee, with several other committees participating in a supporting capacity.
She added that if parliamentary reviews determine that Iran’s interests have not been adequately protected or that there are ambiguities in the agreement, lawmakers will examine the matter carefully.
Caspian Sea as Important to Iran as the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf
Rafiei emphasized that the Caspian Sea holds a strategic importance for Iran comparable to that of the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. She also said she prefers referring to it as the Caspian Sea, stressing its importance to Iran’s national interests.
As head of Parliament’s Environmental Protection Faction, Rafiei also highlighted the Caspian Sea’s unique ecological characteristics, describing it as the world’s largest lake and home to remarkable biodiversity and valuable endemic species.
She said the Caspian Sea has significant hydrological importance but has faced growing environmental pressures in recent years, partly as a result of oil-related activities and other forms of exploitation by some of the neighboring states.
Rafiei called for legal action over pollution in the Caspian Sea, arguing that since the littoral states have not contributed equally to the pollution, Iran can pursue the issue through legal channels, particularly in relation to oil pollution.
She further pointed to the Caspian Sea’s economic and energy significance, noting that the determination of countries’ shares of its seabed and subsoil could have implications for energy transit routes.
Rafiei reiterated that Iran’s interests in the Caspian Sea must be fully protected, while stressing that no conclusions can be drawn about the details of the proposed legislation until it is formally introduced in Parliament.
Caspian Sea Convention: A Framework for Iran’s Northern Security
WANA (Aug 10) – The provisions of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea establish a common legal framework for managing security, economic, environmental and maritime issues in the Caspian Sea. The convention, reached after two decades of negotiations among the five littoral states, could, if implemented, play an important role in […]