The Caspian Sea belongs exclusively to its five littoral states and no foreign power has a place or role in its affairs, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said.

Addressing a meeting of Caspian Sea naval commanders in Russia’s St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Irani said the Caspian Sea is the shared domain of Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and that all matters concerning the sea will be resolved solely by these five coastal countries.

“Decisions regarding the Caspian Sea will be made only by its littoral states,” he said, emphasizing the principle of regional ownership and self-determination.

He made it clear that there is no place for extra-regional powers in the Caspian Sea, and the coastal nations will not allow foreign a

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