Zarif in Moscow for Caspian Talks

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Moscow on Monday to attend a two-day meeting with his counterparts from the other four Caspian Sea states ahead of an upcoming summit. A delegation of political, legal and other experts are accompanying Zarif on the trip, IRNA reported. It is the seventh meeting between the top diplomats of Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan since the talks got underway in the early 90s to create a legal regime that would determine their Caspian territorial rights. Covering a range of regional and international issues, the ministerial discussions are meant to be a prelude for forthcoming talks between the five leaders at the Fifth Caspian Summit in Kazakhstan. The last ministerial gathering dates back to July 12 in the Kazakh capital Astana and the presidents last convened in the Russian port city of Astrakhan in 2014, where the five signed an agreement to promote the sustainable use of Caspian Sea and protect its marine life. Also, key principles of activities in the Caspian Sea were set out in a joint political declaration that outlined the framework of the convention.