Azernews.Az

By Trend

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has held talks with Turkmen Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Hajiyev in Tehran, Trend reports referring to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

During the Sunday meeting, Zarif said Tehran attaches great importance to its ties with Ashgabat, and considers Turkmenistan one of the closest countries to Iran.

“We always seek enhanced relations and cooperation with Turkmenistan in various fields, and hope that we would be able to tap into all the capacities available for promotion of friendship and brotherhood between the two neighbours,” he noted.

Zarif pointed to earlier agreements on the legal regime of the Caspian Sea, and expressed Iran’s preparedness to work on joint projects on the body of water.

He said no issue should influence friendships between the two countries, and expressed the hope that Iran-Turkmenistan Joint Committee would hold a session in the near future.

The Turkmen diplomat, in turn, highlighted the significance of his country’s ties and cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and referred to the “constructive” talks he earlier in the day held with his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araqchi in Tehran.

“We are trying to prepare the grounds for expansion and deepening of cooperation and bilateral relations and friendship with Iran by removing certain obstacles,” he added.

A number of big economic projects have been recently implemented. Besides gas pipelines, the Iran–Turkmenistan Friendship Dam was built and the North-South railway project was completed with Kazakhstan’s participation.