Senior officials of Iran and Tajikistan signed 17 cooperation documents in the fields of politics, economy, trade, transportation, investment, new technologies, environment, sports, energy, judiciary, education and research, and tourism in the presence of President Ebrahim Raisi and President Emomali Rahmon.

These documents were signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Industry, Mines and Trade, Petroleum, Roads and Urban Development, Energy, Economic Affairs and Finance, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Justice, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Cooperation, Labour and Social Welfare, and Heads of the Exchange and Securities Organization and the Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture of Iran and their Tajik counterparts.

Referring to the increase in trade relations between Iran and Tajikistan, President Raisi said that Tehran and Dushanbe are determined to strengthen relations in all fields.

Speaking at the joint press conference with his Tajik counterpart, Rahmon, President Raisi said that Iran and Tajikistan have very good relations due to neighborhood, cultural and religious relations, common language and civilization.

Referring to his recent visit to Dushanbe at the invitation of his Tajik counterpart to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Raisi said, “The trip was a turning point in relations between the two countries. Today we see a fourfold increase in trade relations between Iran and Tajikistan. Good measures have been also taken in other fields, especially in the implementation of the agreements signed between the two countries in Dushanbe.”

He also added that big steps will be taken to strengthen relations between the two countries with the signing of the new memorandum between Iran and Tajikistan. “We are determined to continue the political, economic, cultural relations, as well as relations in various fields between the two countries.”

Stating that good bilateral relations can be turned into good regional relations, Raisi said that Iran and Tajikistan have a common view about the presence of foreigners in the region. “We believe that the presence of the foreigners in the region will not provide the security of the region and the regional issues must be solved through dialogue, negotiation and joint meetings.”

The two countries also have a common view about the developments in Afghanistan, the Iranian President said, adding that an inclusive government must be formed in Afghanistan, and all parties in Afghanistan must be involved in forming a government. The security of Afghanistan is also very important for Iran and Tajikistan.

“The 20-year presence of the United States and NATO in Afghanistan had nothing but the war and insecurity for the country, so the fate of Afghanistan must be decided by the people of the country,” he added.

Rahmon, for his part, said that strengthening cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan is one of Tajikistan’s foreign policies.

Meanwhile  Raisi said the Islamic Republic and Tajikistan share common views on regional issues and agree on the need for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the region as they will not ensure the establishment of security and stability there.

“Iran and Tajikistan have common views on regional issues, including the withdrawal of foreign forces,” he said.

“We believe that the presence of foreigners in the region has not and will not provide security in any way,” he said.

The Iranian president noted that regional countries need to resolve their issues through dialog, adding that “the presence of foreigners in the region is not helpful.”

The Iranian president also called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, which would represent all political groups and ethnicities there, stating that Tehran and Dushanbe attach great significance to the security of Afghanistan.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raisi said the trade volume between Iran and Tajikistan has increased fourfold and that the two countries are determined to expand their political, economic, trade, and cultural relations, as well as ties in various fields of energy, tourism, mining, science, and technology.

Rahmon, for his part, added  new documents were signed on Monday for bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran in various fields.

“We had constructive talks on enhancement of understanding between the two sides. We agreed to expand cooperation among our free trade and industrial zones. We welcome expansion of transportation through Iran’s southern Bandar Abbas and Chabahar ports,” he said.

The Tajik president also underscored that Dushanbe supports any efforts to maintain security in Afghanistan

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His visit is intended to promote defense and military cooperation between Iran and the Republic of Tajikistan.

Major General Mohammad Bagheri and his high-ranking military delegation were welcomed by Major General Imam Ali Saberzadeh, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Defense Minister of Tajikistan, and other high-ranking Tajik military officials.

Upon his arrival, Bagheri said strengthening military and defense cooperation between the two countries is the main objective of the visit.

General Bagheri added Iran and Tajikistan are located in an important “geopolitical region” so that “events and incidents” in each of these two countries will affect the other.

Referring to the policy of the Iranian government to develop relations with neighbors, General Bagheri said, “In line with improving security and calm in the two countries, we will have bilateral meetings during the trip with military and political officials.”

Reportedly, during his stay in Dushanbe, Bagheri is to meet with the president of Tajikistan and visit the military and scientific centers of country’s Armed Forces.

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Water is the central theme of the exhibition, which is organized annually by the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) and the Focus Photo Club, Iran’s branch of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).

Mehdi Kazemi Bumeh won the FPC Trophy in the open color section for “Gear”, an abstract photo depicting a man who is running a number of gears.

Mohammadreza Masumi received the same award in the people section for his photo “Stop Motion”, while Kazemi Bumeh won the FIAP Ribbon for his photo “Chicken”, which shows a nomad woman selling chickens.

“Ashura” by Hadi Dehghanpur and “Molod” by    Mohammad Esteki won honorable mentions in this category.

“Blue Dawn” by Seyyed Ali Dormiani-Bozorg was awarded a FIAP Ribbon in the landscape section. The photo shows Badab-e Surt, a beautiful natural spring in Iran at the crack of dawn.

Mohammad Esteki’s photo “Move” depicting a walking man in a desert won the FPC Trophy in this section.

Mohammadreza Masumi’s “Full Color” and Mehdi Parsaian’s “Nature Painting” received honorable mentions in the landscape section.

The FPC Trophy in the open monochrome went to Mohammad Esteki for “Elina Eyes”. “Non-Stop” by Mehdi Parsaian, “Miners” by Marjan Taqipur Fahandari and “Freedom” by Ensieh Abdollahimehr won honorable mentions.

The FIAP Light Blue Badge, which is the grand prize of the exhibition, was given to Minko Mihaylov from Bulgaria.

A jury composed of Seyyed Ehsan Mortazavi, Djordje Vukicevic, and Özlem Gün Bingöl selected the winners.

The jury also awarded some photographers in the categories of water and travel. No Iranian photographer could win the main prizes in these sections.

In the travel category, “My House” by Seyyed Ali Dormiani Bozorg, “Amir Chakhmaq Square” by Mehdi Kazemi Bumeh and “Sar Aqa Seyyed” by Amir Kianersi received honorable mentions.

Hadi Dehqanpur’s won an honorable mention for his photo “Thirsty” in the water section.

Photo: “Full Color” by Mohammadreza Masumi received an honorable mention in the landscape section of the 3rd Aqua International Salon of Photography in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

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The participants in this virtual meeting reviewed opportunities for cooperation and expansion of economic cooperation especially between the private sectors of Iran and Tajikistan.

Tajikistan Ambassador to Tehran and Iran’s Ambassador to Tajikistan were also present in this webinar wherein more than 150 economic activists involved in.

At the beginning of the webinar, head of international affairs of Tehran Chamber of Commerce pointed to the abundant commonalities between the two countries especially in their language, religion and history and called Tajikistan as the closest country to Iran but he reiterated that despite such commonalities, the volume of economic relations between the two states have not grown as it is expected.

Hessamuddin Hallaj then said while the two countries are on the eve of the 30th anniversary of restoring diplomatic relations, Tehran Chamber of Commerce decided to hold this webinar to boost the knowledge of economic activists regarding the common trade capacities and reviewing the opportunities for cooperation.

He went on to say that unfortunately the total trade volume of the two states regardless of their trade via the third party countries is around $25m and the goal behind such meetings and events is to make the most of this opportunity for paving the ground for economic activists and tradesmen of both states.

Then Seyedeh Fatemeh Moqimi, a member of presiding board of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, described Tajikistan a country with capacity to become a big economic trade partner of Iran in the Central Asia and by referring to the close cultural and historical bonds of the two states, she said Tajikistan can have access to free waters via Iran’s southern ports while Iran’s access to Europe via Tajikistan is an ideal opportunity for improving Iran’s trade and economy.

She then pointed to Iran’s experience in the fields of oil, gas and electricity, and said Iran and Tajikistan have also high capacity for cooperation in the food industries, metals and tourism beside expansion of cooperation in the fields of implementing projects in oil, electricity and dam construction.

Meanwhile Tajikistan Ambassador to Tehran Nizomiddin Zohidi, for his part, pointed to 85 percent decline in the bilateral trade in recent years, adding that holding such virtual events, presence of economic activists in the exhibitions being held in both states and dispatch of trade exhibition for getting more familiar with capacities for trade cooperation are of the joint actions by Iran and Tajikistan for improving the level of economic ties.

He then pointed to the readiness of Iran and Tajikistan for signing several MoUs and announced signing of MoU on cooperation between Tehran Stock Exchange and Tajikistan’s Central Asia Stock.

Zohidi then reiterated that so far 170 MoUs and documents on cooperation have been signed between Iran and Tajikistan, noting that the legal grounds are very important for bilateral cooperation in trade and economy.

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“Given the technical and export capacities of companies in Tehran and Iran in many areas, Dushanbe is ready to participate in the construction of joint factories and expand economic relations,” Sattor said as reported by Fars News Agency.

The Tajik finance minister, meantime, called for increased investment by Iranian businessmen and investors in his country’s projects.

The Iranian ambassador, for his part, emphasized the need to increase the volume of economic exchanges between the two countries.

Saberi said Iran is also ready to cooperate with Tajikistan in all fields and help implement joint projects.

Earlier this month, Saberi and Tajik Minister of Agriculture Ezzatollah Sattari in a meeting vowed to spare no efforts for expanding agricultural cooperation between the two states.

During the meeting, Sattari referred to the lingual, cultural, historical and religious commonalities between the two nations and underlined the need to further develop relations between the two countries while outlining his country’s achievements in providing food and increasing agricultural products.

Referring to recent positive developments in Iran-Tajikistan relations, Saberi stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran has made significant achievements in different aspects of agriculture such as production and development of agricultural machinery, supply and modification of seed crops, watershed expansion and soil conservation, as well as improve its self-reliance on key strategic products and development of aquaculture and sea and poultry farming.

The Iranian ambassador noted that the development and processing of medicinal plants, irrigation and drainage networks and new irrigation systems, the expansion of information and communication infrastructure, and the increase of complementary and conversion industries in the agricultural sector were among other achievements of Iran in those fields.

Saberi further stated that given the abundant water supplies and arable lands in Tajikistan, the Islamic Republic is ready to cooperate in all areas of agriculture with the Republic of Tajikistan.

For his part, Sattari welcomed the Iranian ambassador’s suggestions, saying, “We are ready to cooperate and make use of Iran’s experiences in the agricultural sector.”

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