TEHRAN Along with six littoral states of the Persian Gulf, the Islamic Republic of Iran began environmental research in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman yesterday.
The plan has been made upon the suggestion of Iran's Department of Environment as the current head of the Kuwait-based Regional Organization for Protection of Marine Environment (ROPME).
Countries cooperating in the plan consist of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
The plan aims to study threatening causes of the sea ecosystem and the amount of metallic and petroleum pollutants of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
Iranian experts are participating in such a project for the first time.
Previous projects were carried out by foreign experts at high cost.
Biological, radioactive, air pollution research, marine physics and chemistry are among groups participating in the project.
The 20-day research began at the Iranian Port of Bandar Abbas and will pass through Iranian-owned sites of the Strait of Hormuz, Sea of Oman, Kish Island, Lavan Island and Bushehr en route to its final destination at the headquarters of ROPME in Kuwait.
In Bushehr, a number of Arab experts will join the tour and, at the end, will give a report of their voyage to ROPME.