VP: Iran’s Share Of Caspian Sea Almost Equal To Russia

Tehran, May 7, IRNA – President’s Advisor for the Caspian Sea Affairs Mohammad Mahdi Akhoundzadeh says Iran’s share of the sea is not less than that of Russia if not bigger. Talking to IRNA on Monday, he referred to the recent meeting of the five Caspian Sea littoral countries to determine the sea’s legal regime and said the contracts signed between Iran and the former Soviet Union in 1921 and 1940 are still valid . He said the two documents will be in place until new ones replace them. Stressing that Moscow and Tehran never set a fixed borderline and territory in the Caspian Sea, the official said that given the content of the two documents which specifies Iran and the former Soviet Union as two parties of the contract, it is expected that Tehran and Moscow will have an equal share in whatever which relates to the sea. Akhoundzadeh who is a senior foreign ministry official too said Iran is still waiting for Moscow’s announcement of a new date for the fifth summit of the Caspian Sea littoral countries before the end of the year. Pointing to the launching of “Jamran-2” warship in the Caspian Sea, he said it is for the first time that Iran has takes such an action. He stressed that Iran gives priority to maintaining friendly and peaceful ties with neighboring countries but at the same time wants to stop intervention of foreign forces in the sea. The presidential advisor went on to underline that the presence of foreign forces in the Caspian Sea lacks any kind of logic or justification, noting that littoral countries will not tolerate such a presence. He also expressed happiness with the fact that Iranian oil platforms in the sea are functioning well. He said for the first time ever Iran discovered oil and gas resources in the Caspian Sea, adding that digging operations of the second well is currently underway./end