Nournews: The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow, the Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan in Tehran, emphasized prioritizing the expansion of ties with Turkmenistan.
He said, “Iran and Turkmenistan ties have expanded very well over recent years. There is still more room for expansion of ties, though.”
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to Iran-Turkmenistan joint projects, including the project to build the South-North Highway and the expansion of the Turkmenistan gas pipeline, as very significant, and said, “Implementation of these projects with the inclusion of Iranian experts will bring the two countries closer and more intimate.”
Iran can become gas hub in the region
Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian said that, based on agreements with Turkmenistan, Iran can become the region’s gas hub.
President Pezeshkian described Iran-Turkmenistan gas sector agreements as a strategic measure toward turning Iran into the gas hub of the region, within the framework of mutual interests.
He said, “I personally will follow up on the implementation of agreements and commitments between the two nations.”
In a meeting held on Wednesday evening with supreme boards of Iran and Turkmenistan, Pezeshkian pointed to deep and historical ties as a suitable ground for the expansion of collaboration between the two nations and said, “As we are committed to the agreements and deals between the two nations, we are ready to remove obstacles in the way of expanding ties.”
He hoped that in a future meeting in Ashkhabad, they would see the full actualization of the agreements.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, also pointed out the good relationships between Iran and Turkmenistan as well as their common stance on regional and international issues and described the joint border as one of the safest borders of Iran.
He emphasized using the border's potential to serve mutual interests. He also noted the need for collaboration to help neighboring Afghanistan solve its challenges and problems.
Berdimuhamedow, for his part, expressed happiness over the good level of regional and international collaboration between Tehran and Ashkhabad, and emphasized that his administration is determined to support Iran’s international initiatives.
He described the two countries as relatives and said he had constructive talks with President Pezeshkian and that the two sides had signed numerous agreements. He also said his country is ready to collaborate with Iran on establishing regional security and is ready to expand trade and economic ties as well as Caspian Sea-related collaborations with Iran.
Expansion of collaboration in several sectors, including power, transit, electricity, mutual collaboration in gas and petrochemicals, issuance of technical and engineering services, setting a target for the transit of 20 million tons of goods, making visa issuance easier, and expanding ties in the sectors of ports, sailing, and road transportation were among the important axes of talks between Iran and Turkmenistan during meetings between the two countries’ supreme boards.
NOURNEWS