Iran Reiterates Readiness for Enhanced Cooperation with Caspian Sea Littoral States

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Oceania Ebrahim Rahimpour underlined the country's emphasis on boosting cooperation with the Caspian Sea littoral states.

"The Caspian Sea has created many opportunities for the people of the littoral states and therefore, the grounds should be prepared for sustainable development with a long-term outlook and creation of the necessary frameworks and infrastructures," Rahimpour said, addressing the closing ceremony of a meeting of the special workgroup to compile the Caspian Sea legal regime's convention in Tehran on Sunday.

"Given its abundant capacities and unique geography, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with the Caspian Sea littoral states and we hope to be able to remove obstacles to the development of cooperation," he added.

Rahimpour underlined that Iran and other Caspian Sea littoral states can pursue multilateral cooperation in the marine, railway, air, road and combined transportation as well as economic cooperation.

In relevant remarks in September, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underscored that the Caspian Sea littoral states' determination for further cooperation.

"Inking four documents for joint cooperation in one day by the Caspian Sea littoral states indicates these countries' determination for more cooperation on the issues related to the Sea," Rouhani said, addressing a ceremony to sign the documents of the fourth Caspian Sea littoral states' summit in Russia.

"Today in this summit, the presidents of the littoral states want to announce this point to all that they favor the Sea to remain the Sea of friendship, security and cooperation like (what it was) all throughout the history," he added.

Rouhani said that all the littoral states stress the necessity for the establishment of security in the Caspian Sea without the presence of any foreign country.

Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are the littoral states of the Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water by area, and is variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea.

The issue of the Caspian Sea’s legal regime has gained importance following the breakup of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the emergence of newly independent states.