Next Merger: Civilizations

The Persian Gulf has the capacity of becoming a center of global economy due to its inexpensive and expert human resources and vital transport facilities especially in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Persian Gulf, its strategic significance, resources, littoral states and its future are centers of attention in almost every international forum that deals with the Middle East and energy economics. To provide grounds for a greater understanding among the Persian Gulf countries and achieve new measures to enhance regional security and prosperity, Iran each year holds an international conference. The 10th International Conference of the Persian Gulf towards the 21st Century was held this year with participation of high-ranking Iranian officials as well as scholars and analysts from around the world.
The event focused on the following topics:
1. Iran and the Persian Gulf: Economic and environmental cooperation
2. Security of the Persian Gulf: Sources of threat and ways of confidence-building
3. The Persian Gulf: International challenges and regional responses
4. The Persian Gulf: Economy and sources of energy
5. The Persian Gulf: Cultural-political realities and role of elite

The first session of the conference was chaired by Seyed Sadeq Kharrazi, deputy foreign minister for research and training. Speakers included Mahmoud Hodjati, minister of road and transportation; Dr. Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of the Organization of Environmental Protection; and Hussein Nasiri, secretary of the High Council of Free Trade-Industrial Zones.
Delivering a speech under the title of “Iran and Transportation System of the Persian Gulf Region”, Mr. Hodjati referred to the economic significance of the Persian Gulf region in the past and present. He noted that the Persian Gulf had the capacity of becoming a center of global economy due to its inexpensive and expert human resources and vital transport facilities especially in the Islamic Republic of Iran. He added that an ideal transportation system had to be quick, safe and cost-effective and the Islamic Republic of Iran housed such systems enjoying several advantages namely: Central geographical situation in the region, access to several modern ports in north and south, the largest transport fleet on land and sea, several terminals along borders, the only railroad connecting the Central Asia to the Persian Gulf, many airports on the way of the most important air corridor and a perfect crossroad between the north, south, east and west. The road and transport minister concluded by calling for a cooperation among regional countries for establishment of joint transport companies, joint insurance companies, shipyards, marine training and repair centers and air traffic control units.
“Iran and Environmental Cooperation in the Persian Gulf” was the topic of the second speech delivered by Dr. Ebtekar. She referred to the Persian Gulf as a vital economic center for the region and the world and noted that preserving this status was only possible through preserving the environmental balance of the Persian Gulf. Threats to this environment are excessive vaporization, poor rainfall, limited depth, implementation of industrial projects on the shores, oil leakage caused by drilling operations, passage of giant tankers and regional conflicts. Dr. Ebtekar then pointed to activities of the Persian Gulf Environmental Protection Organization and urged that ships that pass though the Persian Gulf pay tolls to support the environmental protection budget of this region.
Some of the most important free trade zones of Iran are located in the Persian Gulf region. Addressing the conference, Hussein Nasiri elaborated on the role of free zones in promotion of regional cooperation and termed the importance of these zones in economic development of the regional countries.