Iran says shares Russia’s stance on Caspian issues
Iran and Russia adhere to a common stance on issues concerning the Caspian Sea, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by local news agency Mehr as saying.
Ramin Mehmanparast was speaking after a recent meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow.
The European Union decided in September to open talks with energy-rich Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on the trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry natural gas to the West. The European Commission will lead negotiations on the proposed $5 billion conduit. Russia said it "regretted" the EU move, noting that "outside attempts to meddle in the affairs of the Caspian" could complicate the situation in the region and hamper the ongoing five-party negotiations on the sea's legal status. Iran said it shared Moscow's concern, adding that the EU’s decision "runs against ecological interests" of the coastal nations.
The Iranian ministry spokesman called on the Caspian littoral states to step up effort to sign a convention on the basin’s legal status.
As for Iran’s relations with Russia, Mehmanparast termed them as "historic".
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