Rasht – November 19, 2025
The Governor of the Gilan Province, Iran Mr. Hadi Haghshenas welcomed the representatives from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia, as well as governors from Iran’s coastal provinces, at the opening ceremony. High-ranked dignitaries of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Abbas Araghchi and Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts H.E. Mr. Reza Salehi-Amiri also attended the meeting.
The Iranian Foreign Minister Mr. Abbas Araghchi said that the meeting of coastal governors aims to enhance cooperation among the provinces in economic, political, social, cultural and environmental fields.
The governors and leading officials of the provinces of the Caspian littoral countries discussed joint projects and explored the ways to expand cooperation in economic, environmental, cultural and tourism fields. They also reviewed plans to improve transit links, develop the North-South Corridor, enhance port capacities, and establish interprovincial trade arrangements.
In his address to the gathering, ECO Deputy Secretary General Amb. Jandos Asanov, expressed support to the expansion of cooperation among the coastal provinces and briefed the conference about the work of the Organization aimed at widening transport and transit as well as trade and economic ties in the ECO area.
The program of the event also included visit to the Anzali Port Free Trade Zone and opening of the Anzali Industrial Exhibition.
