DUSHANBE, March 17, 2014, Asia-Plus – Iran’s news agency IRNA reports that Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said in Tehran on Sunday during a meeting with visiting Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov that solving trivial problems can facilitate useful and constructive presence of Iranian firms in Tajikistan and contribute to that country’s development.
Iran and Tajikistan have lots of capacities, potentials, and opportunities for close cooperation and interactions, using which would be to the benefit of both nations, Larijani said.
Larijani said that the Iranian Parliament supports the expansion of the two countries’ relations, adding that the Iranian companies that are benefitted from the technological and industrial developments of the country in recent decades are willing to export their technical and engineering services at the service of Tajikistan’s development.
Tajik foreign minister, for his part, expressed delight over visiting Iran, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has a significant role in the foreign policy of Tajikistan.”
Sirojiddin Aslov presented a report on the status quo of the two countries’ relations, asking that his country would be benefitted from the Iranian experience and capabilities in various economic, industrial, technical and engineering fields.
He added, “The government of Tajikistan is determined to solve the problems with which the Iranian firms are entangled in our country, and favor commissioning the Iranian companies to implement the development projects in Tajikistan, particularly the Istiqlol (Independence) tunnel, which is of great importance for the country.”
Iran and Tajikistan have recently accelerated expansion of their ties and cooperation and observers believe that the good achievements gained in area of their mutual cooperation should be deemed as a result of the efforts made by the two countries’ officials.
According to Tajikistan’s chamber of commerce, Iran-Tajikistan trade hit $250 million in 2012. The bilateral trade amounted to $229 million in the first nine months of the 2013.
In October 2012, Iran and Tajikistan signed a memorandum of understanding to expand relations between their free trade zones.
