Joint natural resources are those which naturally and without human;
intervention cross land or sea borders of a country and enter another;
country’s territory. Such terms as cross-border natural resources and;
international natural resources are used to elucidate this concept. This term;
also applies to all natural resources located in territories that are subject of;
dispute between various states. Although international law has recognized;
sovereign rights of states on the natural resources located in the continental;
shelf, there is considerable legal void as to joint natural resources which are;
shared by two or several states. However, the common procedure used by;
states and international bodies as well as the existing legal doctrine have;
pointed to a legal rule which is based on cooperation among concerned;
states in exploiting such resources. The procedure used by littoral states of;
the Persian Gulf is an example of that rule. Although there are about ten;
joint oil and gas fields between Iran and its neighboring countries in the;
Persian Gulf, for various reasons, most of them are being exploited;
unilaterally, which is not compatible with the economic interests of Iran.