Baku, Azerbaijan, March.17
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the country wants to develop relations with other Persian speaking nations, IRNA reported on March 17.
In a meeting with Tajikistan's foreign minister Sirojiddin Aslov in Tehran, Rouhani called for expanding all-out ties between Iran and Tajikistan.
There are notable potentials for boosting political and economic relations between the two countries, He said.
Development and progress of Persian speaking nations are of high importance for Iran, Rouhani noted.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said in a separate meeting with Aslov that the Iranian Parliament supports the expansion of the two countries' relations, adding that the Iranian companies that are benefiting 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.
The Tajikistan's foreign minister expressed delight over visiting Iran, saying, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has a significant role in the foreign policy of Tajikistan."
Iran and Tajikistan have recently accelerated expansion of their ties and cooperation and observers believe that the achievements gained in their mutual cooperation should be deemed 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.
Edited by C.N.