Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 9
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
Iranian Ambassador to Ashgabat Mohammad Mousa Hashemi Golpaygani has said that following numerous invitations by Turkmenistan's government, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is planning to make a trip to the neighbor country, Fars news agency reported on Feb. 9.
"Since the government of Turkmenistan and the president [Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow] in particular have over and again invited the Iranian president to Turkmenistan, the Islamic Republic president has decided to make the trip as soon as possible," he said.
Goypaygani said that Rouhani's visit to Turkmenistan is not scheduled yet. The ambassador added that Iran hopes that the trip would open the way for closer bonds between the two countries.
On the controversial issue of some Iranian fishermen arrested by Turkmenistan police, the Iranian ambassador refuted allegations that there has been armed scuffle between the two sides and stressed that nothing unusual happened.
On Jan. 31, some sources reported that the fishermen, coming from Golestan Province in northern Iran by the Caspian Sea, had been ambushed by Turkmen security forces and shot at.
Reports said that the boat had capsized following the shooting, one fisherman died, and the rest were taken into custody.
Golpaygani said that the story had been misinterpreted in the light of another similar incident from years ago when an Iranian fisherman had been shot dead by Turkmen security forces.