TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has voiced Tehran’s readiness to facilitate transfer of energy from Caspian Sea littoral states to the Sea of Oman and Persian Gulf through the Iranian soil.

Zarif made the remarks in an address to the 47th session of the special working group to draft the convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea in Tehran on Sunday.

The two-day meeting, hosted by Iran, was attended by representatives and deputy foreign ministers of the five Caspian Sea littoral states, including Russia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.

The Iranian foreign minister called for mutual trust, consensus, and understanding, saying the Caspian Sea legal regime should take into account the common interests of all involved parties.

“Peace and stability, sustainable development and fair demarcation of maritime zones are the most underlying factors that should guide any attempt to formulate the legal regime of the Caspian Sea,” the chief diplomat added.

He also underlined the importance of protecting the environment and water resources of the sea, expressing optimism that the leaders of the Caspian states would pursue the issue in order to find appropriate solutions in this regard.

MH/PA