Iran and Tajikistan report 50 percent rise in trade despite war

Iranian official Mohammad Baqer Aref met Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and reported that trade between the two countries has risen by 50 percent despite the war, according to Mehr News. During the meeting, Aref thanked the Tajik government and people for what he described as their sympathetic positions toward Iran during the Ramadan war, and he stressed the need to draw on historical, cultural and linguistic commonalities to advance relations.

Aref pointed to the deep civilizational ties between the two countries and said a joint high committee on Persian and ancestral language, literature, culture and civilization could help preserve the shared heritage. He said that despite the growth in trade, cooperation capacity far exceeds current levels and that existing opportunities should be used to develop economic and trade ties. He also stressed expanding scientific, technological, cultural and tourism cooperation.

On energy, Aref voiced Iran's readiness to cooperate with Tajikistan in oil and gas exploration, petrochemical industries and exports of oil and gas products. He welcomed Rahmon's proposal for a South Pars-Afghanistan-Tajikistan energy corridor, describing it as a positive and constructive plan presented to Iran's president. He said Iran is interested in expanding trilateral cooperation with Tajikistan and Afghanistan and that suitable capacities exist. The meeting also stressed exports of Iranian oil products to Tajikistan and Iranian help in connecting the country to the open waters of the Persian Gulf.

Regarding the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Aref said it has an important capacity to link regional security and stability with economic development and greater connectivity among member states, and that this should be used to expand cooperation in trade, transit, energy and infrastructure connectivity. He said Iran and Tajikistan can cooperate more closely within the SCO on transit corridors, border security, counterterrorism, counter-narcotics and Afghanistan developments, and stressed greater coordination on shared regional issues.

Aref pointed to the two countries' scientific and technological capacities and said implementing an agreement to launch a joint Iran-Tajikistan technology center could pave the way for joint activities and expanded scientific and technological cooperation. Both sides stressed operationalizing the center. On international cooperation, Aref said the two countries have had good cooperation in international bodies and have supported each other's positions, and that this coordination should be strengthened at regional and international levels. The two sides also stressed preserving Iranian culture and civilization and the shared heritage of Persian speakers, expanding tourism and cultural cooperation, and strengthening scientific and economic ties, Mehr News reported.