An Analytical Note on the General Policies for Maritime-based Development and Institutional Performance over the Past Two Years
The General Policies of Maritime-Based Development, issued in November 2023 by the Supreme Leader, aim to maximize Iran’s use of coastal, offshore, and marine capacities as drivers of national development and to secure a leading regional and reputable global position. This nine-article high-level document emphasizes integrated maritime policy-making, a national division of labor, and efficient maritime governance, making it one of the most significant strategic frameworks for logistics development in the country. Given its importance, policymakers and decision-makers must pay close attention to the key requirements for advancing a “maritime-based economy”.
Do Not Reduce “Maritime-Based Development Policy” to Mere “Maritime Development”
Recent practice has narrowed maritime-based development to basic maritime-sector growth, while the original concept requires aligning industry, agriculture, and territorial planning with the sea as the core driver of national development.
Integrated maritime policy-making is necessary
Instead of achieving “integrated maritime policy-making and a national division of labor,” we are witnessing multiple, fragmented decision-making centers!
Maritime-Based Development — A Strategic Advantage Reconsidered After Half a Century
A 1974 SETIRAN study emphasized maritime-based development, projecting half of Iran’s 50 million population along the Persian Gulf to support coastal industrial hubs with water, energy, and strategic access—plans largely unrealized today.
The private sector has been largely excluded from maritime-based development, potentially causing implementation deviations. Meanwhile, rival countries recognize Iran’s maritime advantages more effectively, which may explain the underdevelopment of its southern coasts.
This analytical note was conducted by Mojtaba Soleimani Sadhi at the AMADGARAN Supply Chain Management Group in 2025.
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