TEHRAN, Iran, Sep.15
Trend:
The economic and cultural relations between Iran and Tajikistan are very optimal, the head of Iran-Tajikistan Joint Chamber of Commerce told Trend in an interview.
Mohammad Hassan Roshanak has indicated that currently, commercial ties between the two countries are optimal.
He noted the problems in trade ties saying the problem does not relate to Tehran and Dushanbe relations but it's due to disagreements between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan that have prevented cargo transit from Iran to Tajikistan via the Turkmenistan route.
"Iran currently has to find other ways for export of its commodities to Tajikistan that would increase the cost of trade," he explained.
Roshanak stressed that the decline in trade ties between the two countries is statistical and due to change in trade declarations to customs that are issued for the third intermediary countries instead of Tajikistan.
"We have to send the cargo to another country and from there loaded it again to Tajikistan therefore level of export to Tajikistan is more than what has been registered at the customs because via Turkmenistan we can not send the commodity to Tajikistan," he said.
He noted that another problem in trade ties between the two countries is political relations that were complex at some point.
The official elaborated on the issue saying that the export of food items from Iran to Tajikistan was banned on the pretext of having a low standard that still continues and the government should pursue to lift it.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is expected to visit Tajikistan to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and holding talks about Tehran-Dushanbe relations. Tajikistan will be hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 16-17 in Dushanbe.