Introduction

The Coastal Zones of Iran, particularly the shores of the Persian Gulf, hold a strategic position in terms of economy, ecology, and security. Rapid development, industrial and oil pollution, along with pressures from climate change, have turned these areas into both a hub of challenges and opportunities—highlighting the urgent need for smart and integrated management. The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) initiative has emerged in recent decades as a framework for smart and sustainable management of coastal zones. In Iran, ICZM was shaped by international experiences and the pressing need to address the country’s complex coastal challenges, particularly after Iran’s accession to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, widely known as the Rio Earth Summit. With the inclusion of coastal management in national legislation—especially after the approval of the Fourth Development Plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran—the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), on behalf of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, was designated in 2003 (1382) as the authority responsible for preparing the National ICZM Plan. This national plan was finalized in 2010 (1389), and its approval and ratification in 2012 (1391) by the Supreme Council for Architecture and Urban Planning paved the way for the development of Scrutinizing ICZM plans across the country. The first Scrutinizing ICZM plan was launched in Hormozgan Province in 2015 (1394), followed by similar scrutinizing initiatives in Bushehr Province, the northern provinces along the Caspian Sea, and Sistan and Baluchestan Province. The latest Scrutinizing ICZM study focuses on Khuzestan Province, now placed on the agenda of the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran. In November 2024 (Aban 1403), the project was awarded to a consortium of consulting engineers: Sazeh Pardazi Iran, Royan, Kenda Ideh, and Behsaz Ravesh, with consortium leadership assigned to Sazeh Pardazi Iran Consulting Engineers. The scope of Scrutinizing ICZM studies of Khuzestan Province includes:

• Updating the information used in the National ICZM studies
• Completing the gaps identified in the National ICZM studies
• Preparing integrated management plans tailored to the province’s needs
• Expanding planning for the coastal zone and territorial waters under national jurisdiction
• Developing action programs specific to each coastal county
• Formulating an ecological capacity assessment model for Khuzestan’s coastal areas