Updates on 16 August 2026
All of August 2026 →Iran ratifies 2018 Caspian Sea Convention
In July 2026, Iran ratified the 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, becoming the last of the five littoral states to do so. This convention, signed in Aktau, Kazakhstan, establishes the legal framework governing navigation, fishing, environmental protection, and security in the Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland body of water bordered by Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The convention prohibits the presence of military forces from non-littoral states in the Caspian Sea. Additionally, Iran will host the 7th Conference of the Parties to the Tehran Convention in September 2026, demonstrating its active role in regional environmental cooperation.
Iran-Oman Agreement on Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
On 15 August 2026, Iran and Oman reached an independent bilateral agreement establishing a shipping route map to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The agreement focuses on protecting commercial shipping while preserving the sovereignty of both nations, amid ongoing regional maritime security concerns, with full reopening contingent upon lifting of the US naval blockade.