TEHRAN- Iran has urged the governments bordering the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman to work together to safeguard the ecosystems of these bodies of water.

Addressing the UN General Assembly meeting on oceans and the law of the sea in New York on Tuesday, Zahra Ershadi, Iran’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said, “Given the increasing damage and destruction of essential and economically important coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, coral reefs and fisheries livelihoods in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, we strongly encourage the coastal States in the region to work together to protect such ecosystems.”

She added, “We reiterate the call for all relevant States to work together to protect the environment of this shared body of water and to refrain from unilateral actions that could jeopardize its marine environment.” 

What follows is an excerpt of the envoy’s speech:

Allow me at the outset to extend my appreciation to the Secretary-General for his reports under the agenda item “the Oceans and the Law of the Sea” as well as the coordinators of the informal consultations on draft resolutions under this Agenda item.

We would also like to thank the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea for their efforts and invaluable support throughout this exercise.

With that being said, I would also like to reiterate my delegation’s position on a number of issues related to this Agenda item as follows:

As a signatory State to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes the significance of this international legal framework in governing activities related to oceans and seas.

However, Iran maintains that UNCLOS should not be regarded as the exclusive and sole legal framework within which all activities pertaining to oceans and seas must be carried out.

We assert that any reference to UNCLOS should be made in conjunction with other relevant legal instruments and frameworks, rather than in isolation.

This approach can better reflect the comprehensive nature of this resolution in addressing the evolving nature of maritime challenges such as environmental concerns and maritime security.

Furthermore, it can better address the legitimate concerns of non-parties to the Convention who are not legally bound by provisions that do not possess a customary nature.

Therefore, we expect that any negotiation on related resolutions concerning oceans and seas should properly address these concerns and adopt an inclusive approach that could lead to constructive engagement among a wider number of countries in supporting those resolutions.

Furthermore, it shall be reiterated that any constructive engagement by my delegation during the negotiations and joining consensus should not be construed as a change in the legal position of the Islamic Republic of Iran in relation to the UNCLOS.

However, among other things, a strong conviction in preserving the ocean, seas and their resources as well as guaranteeing the security and safety of marine operations has motivated us to constructively collaborate and coordinate with other countries on ocean-related matters.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a coastal state in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, is committed to achieving the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14 as well as ocean sustainability.

In this regard, we are looking forward to convening the Third United Nations Ocean Conference to support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, co-hosted by the French Republic and the Republic of Costa Rica in 2024 and 2025.

The Islamic Republic of Iran highly values the efforts made in sustainable fisheries management, which play an important role in supporting the economic activities of some developing countries, conserving marine resources, maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and ensuring food security for all.

Having said that, the Islamic Republic of Iran encourages all countries, regional fisheries management organizations and relevant international institutions to prioritize responsible fisheries management, the use of selective fishing methods as well as combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Rapid population growth, industrialization, urbanization, rising fishing demands, droughts and other natural disasters caused by global warming and climate change as well as ineffective development policies are depleting natural resources at an alarmingly rapid rate, thereby posing serious threats to our region's marine environment as well as sustainable development.

Sea level rise, biodiversity loss and the reduction of different species of native fauna and flora are just a few of many challenges faced within our region.

Given the increasing damage and destruction of essential and economically important coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, coral reefs and fisheries livelihoods in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, we strongly encourage the coastal States in the region to work together to protect such ecosystems.

We reiterate the call for all relevant States to work together to protect the environment of this shared body of water and to refrain from unilateral actions that could jeopardize its marine environment.

In terms of marine life and its preservation, the irresponsible construction of artificial islands and reclamation activities in the Persian Gulf would unquestionably harm the habitats of rare and fragile marine species as well as endanger their life.

Furthermore, the deployment and extraordinary presence of military fleets from outside the region in the Persian Gulf has exacerbated not only the safety and security of coastal States, as well as the smooth navigation in this body of water, but also its maritime pollution and depletion of marine resources.

In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to enforce its laws and regulations in addressing any maritime pollution and environmental harms by vessels that fall under its jurisdiction in the Persian Gulf.

The impacts of climate change on oceans and seas are myriad, complex and interrelated.

In order to counter these impacts, developed countries must fulfill their commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement by providing financial resources, capacity building and technology transfer due to their historical role based on the CBRD principle.

The Islamic Republic of Iran takes note of the General Assembly resolution 77/276 of 29 March 2023 that requested an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the obligations of States in respect of climate change.