Kazem Gharibabadi, speaking at an event marking Caspian Sea Day, said the sea was more than a body of water for Iran and its neighbours. “The Caspian has throughout history been part of the geography, identity and relations of the nations around it, and holds a special place in regional connections,” he said.
He stressed that the coastal states bear the primary responsibility for the sea’s security, stability and future. “Caspian security is, above all, an endogenous regional responsibility that must be provided and preserved by the coastal states through their agreed mechanisms,” he said.
Gharibabadi said Iran and other coastal states were committed to the prohibition on foreign military presence in the Caspian. “The Caspian should not become an arena for competition or presence of extra-regional powers,” he said. “It can and should become an example of a regional security system shaped by the countries of the region for the countries of the region.”
He also highlighted the need for cooperation on the declining water level, pollution and climate impacts.
