Iranian Lawmaker Declines Vote on Caspian Sea Convention
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Hadi Hajidaleghani, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis), has stated his intention not to vote on the Caspian Sea Convention. Hajidaleghani conveyed his decision without elaborating on the specific reasons behind his stance.
The Caspian Sea Convention, formally the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, was signed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, in August 2018 by the five littoral states: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. The agreement outlines principles for the use of the sea’s waters, seabed, and resources, and aims to foster cooperation among the bordering nations.
However, the convention’s ratification has faced domestic challenges in some signatory countries, including Iran. Discussions surrounding the convention in Iran have often focused on its implications for national sovereignty and the division of maritime borders and resources. Hajidaleghani’s position reflects ongoing internal deliberations within Iran regarding the convention’s terms.
The full text of the convention details provisions on navigation, fishing, pipeline construction, and military activities. It designates the surface waters as common use, while the seabed is to be divided into sectors through agreements between adjacent and opposite states. The convention also aims to facilitate economic cooperation and environmental protection initiatives within the Caspian region.
