Co-chaired by Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonzoda and Iranian Minister of Energy and Water Resources Reza Ardakaniyan, the 12th session of Tajikistan-Iran Joint Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation took place in Dushanbe yesterday.
Tajik state-run news agencies refrained from giving any information about that session.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reports say Tajik minister noted that cooperation with Iran is one of priorities of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.
Usmonzoda reportedly underlined an important role of Iranian-built Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in providing Tajikistan’s energy independence.
He also pointed out Iran’s investment in Tajikistan’s economic sectors like industry, construction, energy and agriculture.
Tajik minister reportedly declared for expansion of trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran.
Iranian Minister of Energy and Water Resources Reza Ardakaniyan reportedly noted that Tajikistan is a second home for Iranians.
He expressed hope that agreements reached at the session would promote further expansion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran has fallen twice as much over a couple of years – from 230 million U.S. dollars in 2014 to 115 million U.S. dollars in 2016.
Over the first nine months of this year, the bilateral trade between Tajikistan has valued at only 63 million U.S. dollars, which was 15 percent less than in the same period last year.
Several years ago, Iran was one of major trading partners of Tajikistan alongside Russia, China, Kazakhstan and Turkey. Thus, in 2011 Iran was the second largest investor in Tajikistan’s economy after China.
Tajikistan and Iran have traditionally close relations, sharing many similar cultural, religious and ethnic identifiers and Iran has been a major sponsor of essential hydropower infrastructure in Tajikistan, but Iran has angered Tajikistan by welcoming IRPT leader Muhiddin Kabiri, who is wanted by police in Tajikistan to face various terrorism charges.
Recall, Iran invited IRPT leader Muhiddin Kabiri to attend the International Islamic Unity Conference that took place in Tehran on December 27-29, 2015.
Tajikistan’s MFA said in a statement on December 29, 2015 that it was “greatly concerned” that “the head of the extremist and terrorist former IRPT, Muhiddin Kabiri, who faces charges of attempting to overthrow the government … has been invited to the conference.”
Some sources, however, say the tension between the two countries goes back to earlier times and is in connection with the assets of Babak Zanjani, the Iranian billionaire who is in jail and was earlier sentenced to death.
Anyway, Tajikistan’s customs service in April 2016 introduced restrictions on the import of food products from Iran. Dry leaf tea, poultry and other goods were ruled unacceptable for their allegedly poor quality. In July 2016, the Tajik office of Iran’s Khomeini Imdod Committee, an international development fund, closed. In early July this year, the Iranian trade and culture center in the Tajik northern city of Khujand, which was particularly appreciated for its library services and fast internet, closed its doors. The shuttering reportedly came at the request of the Tajik authorities.
In August this year, Tajik authorities have accused Iran of backing high-profile killings in Tajikistan during the Tajik civil war in the 1990s. In a documentary broadcast on Tajik national television on August 8, the Interior Ministry of Tajikistan claimed that Iran was allegedly interested in unleashing civil war in Tajikistan, and it allegedly provided assistance to the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) and trained its militants in Iranian territory. The documentary also accused Iran of involvement in the murder of several Tajik social and political figures as well as 20 Russian military officers in the country during the 1990s Tajik civil war. The documentary further claimed that at the time, Iran had organized a plot to “eliminate Tajik scientists and intellectuals.
Iran’s Embassy in Dushanbe on August 9 released a statement, in which it dismisses “unfounded claims made in the documentary.” The statement posted on the Embassy’s website, in particular, described such claims as 'regrettable' saying there is no doubt that the documentary’s producers will not be able to mar cultural bonds and historic friendship between the two nations of Iran and Tajikistan.
It added that the noble nation of Tajikistan will never forget that Iran as one of the main founders and guarantors of Tajikistan’s peace and host of talks between the country's conflicting sides, has played a constructive role in ending Tajikistan's civil wars in 1990.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in Dushanbe on November 8. Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks with high-ranking Tajik state officials and participated in an official inauguration of a new building of Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe.
The Iranian top diplomat’s visit to Tajikistan was the first of its kind in the past couple of years. There have been no serious bilateral diplomatic engagements within the past two years, and Zarif’s visit to Dushanbe is believed to be a serious step to mend Iran-Tajikistan ties.
