Iranian, Tajik speakers discuss co-op
By Aynur Jafarova
Expansion of the Tehran-Dushanbe relations in various fields was the focus of the talks between Iran's Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani and his Tajik counterpart Shukurjon Zuhurov in Islamabad.
Larijani and Zuhurov met on the sidelines of a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (PAECO) in the Pakistani capital on Monday.
Larijani said there are many grounds for cooperation between Tehran and Dushanbe that should be enhanced and expressed Iran's readiness to implement various projects in Tajikistan.
"Iran and Tajikistan can have good cooperation in the fields of water, gas and electricity," he stated.
Zuhurov, in turn, hailed the growing economic relations between the two countries and stressed bilateral cooperation in transportation, particularly in railway transport.
Iran, the first nation to establish an embassy in Dushanbe after Tajikistan's gaining independence in 1991, is the second biggest investor in the Central Asian state after China. The trade turnover between Iran and Tajikistan exceeded $500 million during the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 19, 2012.
Iranian companies are currently involved in several development projects in Tajikistan, including the construction of a dam, a hydroelectric power plant and a tunnel.
Iran and Tajikistan recently accelerated expansion of their ties and cooperation. Observers believe that the good achievements gained in the area of their cooperation should be deemed as a result of the efforts made by the two countries' officials.