TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi highlights Tehran’s commitment to expand its ties with Dushanbe, and emphasizes that Iran views cooperation with Tajikistan as a strategic priority.
Araguchi made a speech at a meeting with President Tajik, Emomali Ramon, at the National Palace in Dushanbe on Wednesday.
He pointed to the shared linguistic, cultural and historical ties between the two countries as a solid foundation for deepening cooperation in key areas including trade, diplomacy, education and cultural exchange.
During the meeting, Iranian diplomats conveyed the official greetings of the leaders of the Islamic Revolution to President Ali Khamenei and President Masaud Pezeshkian to President Tajik and the people.
President Ramon welcomed the visit, reflecting his feelings and described Iran-Tajikistan relations as rooted in friendship and mutual respect from centuries. He called for further efforts to support cooperation in light of current local agendas.
The two sides discussed the current state of bilateral relations and exchanged opinions on expanding collaboration. They also reviewed regional developments, including the evolving situations in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan and West Asia, and shared perspectives on mutual security concerns.
Araghchi meets Tajik FM to advance the bilateral agenda
Later that day, Araguchi held consultations with his Tajik counterpart, Sirojdin Mouridin, focusing on a comprehensive agenda aimed at supporting political, economic, commercial, academic, tourism and consulate cooperation.
Both ministers agreed on the importance of fostering close interactions between the private sector and civil society in both countries. They also discussed regional and international developments, including the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and Afghanistan.
Aragut thanked the Tajik government for his clear stance in condemning military aggression against Iran. He criticized repeated violations of Zionist regime’s international law, particularly the continued war crimes and the actions of genocide in occupied Palestine, urging the international community and Islamic countries to take meaningful and coordinated actions in the defense of the Palestinians.
Minister Muriddin reaffirmed Tajikistan’s willingness to strengthen relations with Iran and emphasized the importance of economic and trade cooperation. He welcomed the shared political will between the leadership of the two countries and deepened the involvement of all sectors.
The Minister also agreed to expand coordination of international organizations, including the United Nations, with the aim of protecting the heritage of shared civilization, culture and languages, and pledged continued mutual support on multilateral platforms.
Iranian Tajik officials are discussing cultural cooperation
On a side job in diplomatic visits, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esma Elibabaei met with Tajikistan’s Minister of Culture, Matlbahon Satrillon.
The meeting was also attended by Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Shahin Samadhi, and focused on strengthening cultural cooperation through promotion of Persian language, publication of books, and exchanges of cultural, artistic and media delegations. Both sides also explored co-programming of film, music and theatre.
Both authorities highlighted the importance of the upcoming Iran-Tajikistan Culture Week, introducing shared cultural heritage and as an important opportunity to deepen relationships between people.
Minister Araguchi left Tehran for Dushanbe early on Wednesday morning and accompanied by Iran’s Tajikistan ambassador, Nizomidin Zohidi, he officially saw him at the airport.
Iran and Tajikistan share deep cultural, linguistic and historical connections. In recent years, the two countries have significantly stimulated bilateral cooperation in a variety of fields. For example, on June 13, 2022, officials from Tajikistan and Iran convened a tourism forum to strengthen tourism collaboration between the two countries.
Additionally, on June 21, 2022, a Joint Security Task Force Meeting was held in Dushanbe, featuring representatives from both countries’ Ministry of Home Affairs. This joint security initiative aims to synchronize efforts against terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking, thereby addressing the shared security challenges.