Tehran - Iran has launched strategic planning to establish a regional hub for agricultural insurance and risk management following its accession to the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), a senior official said.

 

Behzad Babakhani, Deputy Head of the Agricultural Insurance Fund, said a high-level meeting was held to prepare for the formal activation of Iran’s IORA membership and to outline the legal, institutional, and operational steps needed to transform the fund into a regional center.

 

He stressed that IORA membership should be treated as a substantive strategic opportunity rather than a symbolic initiative, calling for concrete, well-documented, and sustainable outcomes. Babakhani noted that a directive from Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri provides the legal and executive basis for the plan.

 

As part of the initiative, a dedicated information platform and website will be launched to present Iran’s capabilities in agricultural insurance and to facilitate knowledge and experience exchange among IORA member states.

 

Babakhani also announced the establishment of a Technical and Policy Council, along with executive working groups, and the allocation of a dedicated office within the Agricultural Insurance Fund to host the regional center.

 

He said targeted cooperation with IORA members, structured knowledge transfer, and focused outreach efforts will be key to positioning Iran as a regional reference point for agricultural insurance and risk management.