Iran’s Caspian U-Turn: Why Tehran Is Finally Moving on an Eight-Year-Old Deal

While the situation around the Strait of Hormuz remains difficult to predict, there is now some clarity on another of Iran's maritime fronts. Tehran has unexpectedly launched the ratification process for the 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. A reasonable question arises: why did it take so long? Let us recall once again that the convention was signed on August 12, 2018, with its anniversary marked just recently. And only days ago, Iranian President Pezeshkian submitted the law on ratification of the convention to parliament. After eight years of silence, there is suddenly a sense of urgency. This case somewhat resembles the situation with the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and Iran. The two sides signed the document on January 17, 2025, and the Russian parliament completed its ratification procedures three months later. The Iranian parliament, however, only began the process shortly before the start of the US military operation against Iran in June 2025.