Iran's waterways primarily consist of rivers, lakes, and coastal areas, which play a relatively minor role in the country's transportation network compared to other modes of transportation like roads and railways. Inland water transport is limited in Iran, primarily due to the country's topography and the relatively short length and navigability of its rivers. There are no major rivers in the country, the only one that is navigable is the 830 km (520 mi)-long Karun, which shallow-draft boats can negotiate from Khorramshahr to Ahvaz, a distance of about 180 km (110 mi).

Other major rivers include the Kharkeh, spanning 700 kilometres (430 mi) and joining the Tigris; and the Zayandeh River, which is 300 km (190 mi) long. Several other permanent rivers and streams also drain into the Persian Gulf, while a number of small rivers that originate in the north-western Zagros or Alborz drain into the Caspian Sea. On the Central Plateau, numerous rivers—most of which have dry beds for the greater part of the year—form from snow melting in the mountains during the spring and flow through permanent channels, draining eventually into salt lakes that also tend to dry up during the summer months. There is a permanent salt lake, Lake Urmia in the northwest, whose brine content is too high to support fish or most other forms of aquatic life. There are also several connected salt lakes along the Iran-Afghanistan border in the province of Sistan & Baluchestan. 

The Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in the south provide significant coastal access.

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List.

Company Information

For more information on waterway company contact details, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.

Travel Time Matrix

Key Routes

Port Information