Bill on the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea sent to parliament under single urgency

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, said on Saturday, 1 August 2026 (10 Mordad 1405), at the 72nd session of the government information bodies that the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea has been sent to parliament for ratification. He said the convention was finalised and signed by the Caspian littoral states in 1397 (2018), and that the other four countries have ratified it, but that it can only enter into force once every littoral government has done so.

Baqaei said sending the convention to parliament and having it ratified would be an important step towards completing the legal process for the Caspian Sea, allowing more transparent and constructive engagement between Iran and the other littoral states. He said a clear legal framework would both facilitate regional cooperation and prevent openings for possible misuse by actors from outside the region.

The spokesman added that the government approved the bill under single urgency procedure and that the necessary discussions have taken place between the government and the relevant parliamentary commissions. The Caspian legal regime bears directly on energy resource development and on transit routes across Iran's north.