Bimila Rahman Rahim
Your Excellency, distinguished leaders of the Caspian littoral states, ladies and gentlemen;
First of all, I would like to thank the esteemed President of our friend and brother Turkmenistan for giving me the opportunity to participate in this important meeting, a gathering where we speak not only of a water body, but also of the shared destiny of nations, the future of leading generations, and our historical responsibility toward one of the world's most precious natural heritages.
Today, this shared heritage faces serious and growing threats. The continuous drop in water levels, climate change, rising air and water temperatures, oil and industrial pollution, destruction of natural habitats, shrinking water resources, threats to valuable species, and pressure on coastal communities are alarm bells that cannot and must not be ignored.
The reduction of the Caspian water level is no longer just an environmental concern; this phenomenon has become an economic, social, humanitarian, and even security issue for the region. The retreat of the water poses difficulties for ports and coastal infrastructure, destroys natural habitats, threatens the livelihoods of fishermen and local communities, and affects food security and the development prospects of littoral states.
The fact is that no single country is capable of containing this crisis alone. The Caspian Sea is an interconnected ecosystem, and any damage to a part of it will sooner or later reveal its effects across this entire water body. Therefore, protecting the Caspian Sea needs above all the joint political will, continuous cooperation, and coordinated action of all littoral states.
The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that environmental crises do not recognize political borders and that dealing with them effectively requires overcoming narrow national views and strengthening regional responsibility.
In today's world, which faces numerous crises, geopolitical rivalries, wars, unilateral sanctions, and the weakening of multilateralism, environmental cooperation can be one of the most important areas of trust-building and convergence among the countries of the region. We believe that the environment should not become a victim of political differences, economic competition, or extra-regional interventions. The littoral states must determine the fate of the Caspian Sea by relying on their scientific, technical, financial, and human capabilities within the framework of regional cooperation and with full respect for national sovereignty and each other's legitimate interests.
excellence;
The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the first principle in dealing with this crisis is to rely on science, shared data, and regional cooperation. We have not yet reached a final and comprehensive picture regarding the exact contribution of various factors to the lowering of the Caspian water level. Climate change, rising temperatures and evaporation, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in river flows, as well as human interventions are all issues that must be examined within a scientific and integrated framework in order to find a solution to the consequences. The speed of changes is such that in order to control the crisis, we must move from the phase of "observation and description" to the new chapter of "joint crisis management." In this direction, the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the central role of the Tehran Convention
Whether the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, signed by five littoral countries in 2003, and recently, on its 20th anniversary, with the good and active participation of all littoral countries, the seventh meeting of its members was held in Tehran, is the most important binding regional legal framework for the protection of the Caspian environment.
The Tehran Convention, along with its protocols, has provided us with a framework of successful and comprehensive cooperation between littoral countries in various fields, ranging from cooperation in dealing with oil pollution and pollution caused by land-based activities to the protection of biodiversity and assessment of transboundary environmental impacts, climate change, and the reduction of the Caspian water level.
Distinguished littoral prime ministers;
Allow me to also emphasize one fundamental point. The Caspian Sea is located in a region where its geopolitical and security developments directly affect the future economic, transit, and environmental cooperation of the littoral states. At a time when the world is facing increased competition, conflicts, and increased efforts to impose political and economic will through pressure, keeping the Caspian Sea as an area for cooperation, stability, and joint development is of double importance.