Pezeshkian accentuates blue economy as key to tackle water stress
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian underscored sea-oriented development as “the solution to steer the country clear of crises that like water scarcity could trigger in our major cities.”
During a meeting on maritime-based development on Monday, Pezeshkian emphasized that all major Iranian cities, particularly Tehran, face numerous environmental challenges, especially regarding water supply, saying, “This initiative must be treated with utmost seriousness by all relevant agencies and prioritized in their agendas.”
Focused on reviewing the statute of the Maritime-Oriented Development Organization and the Makoran Region, the meeting was also attended by ministers and relevant officials.
Addressing the meeting, Ali Abdolalizadeh, the president’s representative for coordinating the implementation of the government’s sea-based development policies outlined key revisions to the draft statute. These changes included redefining the government’s role from direct implementation to oversight, prioritizing private sector and public participation over state-led initiatives, and emphasizing the Makoran region’s development.
“Every effort in sea-focused development, particularly in the Makoran region, including drafting the organization’s statute must align with a comprehensive masterplan and defined macro-objectives for Iran’s northern and southern coasts. Without such a roadmap, our actions risk diverging from core goals or falling short of fully meeting our targets, necessitating future revisions,” the president stressed.
Pezeshkian further noted that the statute must clearly delineate the roles of government entities alongside civil, cooperative, and private sectors.
Criticizing delays in implementing prior resolutions to identify and appoint experienced international consultants for the Makoran-focused masterplan, the president asserted, “The Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, alongside other responsible entities, must swiftly select and engage the most capable international experts to prepare this critical masterplan.”
Reiterating his concerns, Pezeshkian warned, “Our major cities, especially Tehran, grapple with severe environmental issues, particularly water shortages. Maritime-oriented development is the nation’s lifeline to avert or mitigate crises like those posed by water scarcity. All relevant institutions must prioritize this program without delay.”
Reflecting on past shortcomings, the president remarked, “Previous development efforts lacked a coherent, holistic vision. They overlooked Iran’s potential for international cooperation, especially along the southern coasts. To put it bluntly, we’ve merely been surviving, neglecting genuine national progress.”
Since the current administration took office, “We have advanced numerous infrastructure projects — completing transit corridors, addressing energy and water shortages, expanding rail and road networks. However, these are individual links that must ultimately interconnect to maximize impact. The unifying thread is shifting the nation’s development focus to the southern coasts, particularly Makoran.”
Monday’s meeting concluded with a directive for the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, to expedite the selection and appointment of international consultants for the maritime-oriented development masterplan.