Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a long-term regional action plan to address falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, urging the five littoral states to strengthen environmental cooperation under the Tehran Convention.
Speaking at a summit of Caspian Sea heads of state in Turkmenistan on Friday, President Pezeshkian said the environmental challenges facing the world’s largest inland body of water required coordinated action, shared scientific data and sustained political commitment.
The Iranian president emphasized that no littoral country could tackle the crisis alone, as water-level declines, pollution and climate change transcend national borders.
He warned that the Caspian Sea faces mounting threats, including rising temperatures, oil and industrial pollution, habitat destruction and declining fish stocks. The retreating shoreline, he added, could disrupt ports and coastal infrastructure, damage natural habitats, threaten fishing communities and undermine food security and regional development.
President Pezeshkian said environmental cooperation could serve as a platform for building trust among regional countries despite geopolitical tensions, conflicts and unilateral sanctions. He stressed that environmental protection should not become a casualty of political disagreements, economic competition or outside interference.
The president called for decisions concerning the Caspian Sea to be based on regional cooperation, scientific and technical expertise, and respect for the national sovereignty and legitimate interests of all littoral states.
He highlighted the Tehran Convention, signed by the five Caspian littoral countries in 2003, as the region’s principal legally binding framework for protecting the marine environment. Together with its protocols, the convention provides a basis for cooperation on oil pollution, land-based sources of contamination, biodiversity conservation, transboundary environmental impact assessments, climate change and declining water levels.
President Pezeshkian welcomed the summit’s decision to establish a high-level commission comprising deputy heads of government from the littoral states and proposed that the body work toward developing and implementing a long-term regional program to address the Caspian’s shrinking water levels.
The proposed plan would include seven priorities: joint scientific monitoring of factors contributing to the decline; coordinated measures to combat marine pollution and protect biodiversity; stronger implementation of the Tehran Convention; adaptation of coastal infrastructure and ports to future changes; restoration of wetlands and ecologically sensitive habitats; support for local communities, fisheries and livelihoods dependent on the sea; and mobilization of financial and technological resources for environmental protection.
The Iranian president also called for a comprehensive scientific assessment of the factors behind the decline, including climate change, rising temperatures and evaporation, changing precipitation patterns, variations in river flows and human activities. He urged regional governments to move beyond monitoring the problem toward coordinated crisis management.
Addressing the Caspian’s strategic importance, President Pezeshkian said preserving the sea as a zone of cooperation, stability and shared development was essential. He also warned that attacks on coastal facilities, ports, vessels and industrial infrastructure could cause cross-border environmental damage.
Referring to attacks on Iran’s Anzali port during the conflict imposed by the United States and the Israeli regime, as well as an armed attack by Ukraine on an Iranian commercial vessel, he called for such incidents to be condemned and those responsible held accountable.
President Pezeshkian concluded that the Caspian Sea could become a model of successful environmental diplomacy, demonstrating how countries can cooperate on shared interests despite political differences.
He urged the littoral states to act collectively to protect the sea and preserve its ecological heritage for future generations.