Iranian deputy foreign minister delivers speech at the 22nd session of the IORA Council of Foreign Ministers

The Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Thursday hosted the 22nd Council of Foreign Ministers of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Conference, with foreign ministers and officials of member states in attendance.

Addressing the session, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari, who was joining the event at the head of a delegation, highlighted Iran’s positive measures to promote cooperation within the framework of this Association. He said, despite the illegal unilateral sanctions, the Islamic Republic has greatly contributed to the advancement of IORA’s priorities in different fields.

Among those measures, he pointed to Iran’s efforts to enhance multi-faceted and maritime transport at ports in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean such as Chabahar, saying these capacities serve to link the Indian Ocean littoral countries to Central Asia, Caucasus and Europe.

Safari referred to the subject of the conference (protection of the Indian Ocean’s environment), enumerating some of the environmental challenges including maritime pollution, excessive fishing, warming waters, destruction of marine habitats and biodiversity, as well as dust and sandstorms.
The IORA should create joint institutional and financial mechanisms in the face of these challenges, the deputy foreign minister added.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Safari held separate talks with officials of some of the countries, including Bangladesh, Tanzania, South Africa, Japan, and Kenya, over bilateral economic ties.

The Association, headquartered in Mauritius, is comprised of 23 littoral countries of the Indian Ocean, which have placed sea-based economic cooperation on their agenda. Ten other countries from outside the region also cooperate with the IORA as dialogue partners.

Iran also hosts the IORA Regional Centre for Science and Technology Transfer, one of the Association’s expert agencies.