DUSHANBE, August 1, 2008, – An official four-day visit of Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi to Iran that started on July 29 is continuing.
Zarifi’s meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, which was held on July 30 resulted in signing of a program of cooperation for 2008-2009, according to the Tajik MFA.
The MFA information department head Davlat Nazriyev said the ministers had discussed a broad range of issues related to political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
“Manouchehr Mottaki welcomed proposal of his Tajik counterpart to make a joint film “Kurushi Kabir” (Kirus the Great); the screen script of this film was written by Tajik writer Barot Abdurahmon,” the MFA spokesman said.
Yesterday, Zarifi held bilateral talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani and Energy Minister Seyed Parviz Fattah, who is also co-chairman of the Tajik-Iranian commission for trade and economic cooperation.
The talks discussed bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran in different fields. During the meetings, Tajik minister, in particular, briefed Iranian officials on the present political and socioeconomic situation in Tajikistan, energy projects being implemented in the country and their significance for Tajikistan and the region as a whole, Nazriyev said. A special attention was paid to tripartite cooperation between Tajikistan, Iran and Afghanistan in sectors like energy, transport and communications.
The Iranian side was interested in implementation of tripartite projects. The sides pointed out the significance of construction of the power grid from Tajikistan via Afghanistan to Iran.
According to the Tajik MFA, the Iranian side proposed to hold a meeting of the energy ministers of the three countries on sidelines of the upcoming summit of heads of state of Tajikistan, Iran and Afghanistan due in Dushanbe in late August.
In the meantime, Iran’s news agency IRNA noted that during the meeting with Tajik Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad acknowledged growing ties between Iran and Tajikistan. He said that executive bodies of both nations have done their best to expand cooperation. Iranian president added that bilateral ties between Iran and Tajikistan are running in an appropriate trend, expressing hope that administrative and executive bodies of both nations make use of the utmost potential of each other. Welcoming a proposal made by the Tajik foreign minister on applying for membership in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), he said that the Islamic Republic of Iran will help Tajikistan to this goal.
Hamrokhon Zarifi, for his part, underscored the need for expanding Tehran-Dushanbe relations in different arenas, calling for expediting implementation of the agreements already signed between the two countries, according to IRNA.
On the meeting of Hamrokhon Zarifi with Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, IRNA said that Larijani called for expansion of mutual ties, adding Iran and Tajikistan enjoy deep-rooted historical, cultural and religious relations. He also expressed hope that the two countries ties would boost in all fields.
During the visit, Zarifi felicitated Larijani on taking office as the new Majlis speaker and wished him success. Zarifi also expressed hope that the Majlis could support expansion of bilateral ties. Zarifi also called for expansion of Iran-Tajikistan ties in all arenas. The Tajik Foreign Minister called for establishment of a union of parliaments for the Persian-speaking countries and a joint Persian television network in near future.
