Ashgabat:President Masoud Pezeshkian has put forward a proposal for a long-term regional program aimed at addressing the declining water levels of the Caspian Sea, the largest lake in the world.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Pezeshkian presented this proposal during an extraordinary Environmental Summit of the Heads of Caspian Sea Littoral States held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He emphasized the need for collaborative action within the framework of the Tehran Convention, highlighting that no single nation can tackle the challenges of the Caspian Sea alone.

He endorsed the summit's decision to create a high-level commission consisting of deputies from the governments of the littoral states to address issues concerning the Caspian Sea. Pezeshkian also underlined the importance of environmental cooperation as a means to build trust and foster convergence among regional nations, amidst existing geopolitical rivalries and crises.

The president urged the littoral states to leverage their scientific, technical, financial, and human resources to determine the fate of the Caspian Sea, emphasizing that the environment should not suffer due to political, economic rivalries, or external interference. He highlighted the Tehran Convention, signed in 2003, as the key legally binding framework for safeguarding the Caspian Sea.

Pezeshkian pointed out that the Caspian Sea faces significant threats, including dropping water levels, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction, which should not be ignored. He stressed that the Caspian is an interconnected ecosystem, requiring the coordinated action and political will of littoral states while respecting each other's sovereignty.

In conclusion, he called on the summit participants to demonstrate to future generations that the littoral states worked together to preserve the Caspian Sea in times of crisis. He noted the urgent need for environmental diplomacy, suggesting that the Caspian Sea could become a successful example of regional cooperation on shared environmental challenges.