Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said protecting the Caspian Sea environment, countering unilateralism and expanding multilateral cooperation with regional countries will be among the main priorities of his visit to Turkmenistan.
President Pezeshkian made the remarks on Thursday, before departing for Turkmenistan at the invitation of the country’s president. He said the visit would focus on two main areas: participation in a gathering of heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and discussions with the representatives of Caspian littoral states on the future of the sea.
The president described the Caspian Sea as a shared environmental asset and a valuable resource for future generations, warning that its degradation could create serious problems for all neighboring countries.
He pointed to a range of environmental threats, including pollution linked to oil and energy activities, declining water inflows, the risk of drought and the sea drying up, falling fish stocks and broader damage to the Caspian ecosystem.
President Pezeshkian also highlighted excessive fishing and existing pollution as major pressures on the sea. He said Iran plans to discuss with the other littoral states how the Caspian can be jointly managed and better protected.
Beyond environmental issues, the visit will provide an opportunity to discuss multilateral relations and ways to counter unilateralism, as well as cooperation in energy, trade, culture, politics and security, the president said.
President Pezeshkian noted that certain Iranian ministers had already traveled to Turkmenistan ahead of the summit of the heads of state in order to hold talks on bilateral commissions and prepare discussions on issues of mutual interest.
He described the visit as an important opportunity to deepen Iran’s relations with neighboring countries and broaden regional economic and political ties.
The president also referred to restrictions affecting maritime routes, describing the situation as a maritime blockade. However, he said Iran could not easily be isolated because it shares borders with 15 countries and can use these connections to maintain significant economic, commercial, political and security exchanges.
President Pezeshkian said such regional connections could create new opportunities for improving interactions, regulations and trade while strengthening cooperation among neighboring states.
He expressed hope that talks with regional heads of state during the visit would help advance Iran’s objectives and lead to tangible progress in strengthening regional relations, protecting the Caspian environment and expanding cooperation.