TEHRAN – In a meeting between Iranian Vice President and Head of the Planning and Budget Organization (PBO) Davoud Manzour and Tajikistan’s Minister of Finance Fayziddin Qahhorzoda on Friday the two sides discussed ways of boosting economic and trade ties between the two countries, IRNA reported.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the eighth meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian and Pacific Center for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM) which was held in the Tajik capital Dushanbe on Friday.

In this meeting, Manzour referred to the upward trend of economic relations between the two countries and underlined the important role of powerful Iranian companies active in various sectors including mining, metal, agriculture, information technology, and knowledge-based industries in the development of cooperation between the two countries.

He noted that President Ebrahim Raisi believes that Tajikistan's progress and security is Iran's progress and security, emphasizing the necessity of mutual use of the capacities of the two friendly and brotherly countries for the development of relations in all areas.

Qahhorzoda for his part expressed his satisfaction with the development of relations between the two countries and called for an increase in the role of Iranian companies in the implementation of infrastructure projects in Tajikistan, including the construction of dams and hydroelectric power plants.

Iranian Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian has said the trade between Iran and Tajikistan has increased by 10 times over the past two years, Fars News Agency reported.

According to Mehrabian, the value of trade between the two countries which was $23 million in the Iranian calendar year 1399 (2020-2021) reached $280 million in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20, 2023).

The trade between the two countries also reached $150 million in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-September 22) and it is expected to exceed $300 million by the end of the year (late March 2024).

“During the previous visit of President Raisi to Tajikistan, the two countries had set a $500 million target for the trade between the two sides and now considering the current trend of relations, a much higher goal can be set,” Mehrabian said.

Iran and Tajikistan on Novemebr 8 signed a joint statement and 18 cooperation documents and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to deepen bilateral strategic relations.

The joint statement was signed between President Raisi and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.

The documents and MOUs were inked by the Iranian and Tajik ministers in the presence of the two presidents.

As reported, the documents and MOUs pertained to a roadmap for the long-term bilateral trade and economic cooperation till 2030, mutual visa-free access, anti-drug trafficking operations, transportation, crisis management and the establishment of joint free economic zones, as well as inter-city cooperation in various fields.

During a meeting earlier in the day, Raisi said Iran and Tajikistan could increase their annual trade transactions to $500 million in the first step.

Raisi stressed that historical, religious, and cultural commonalities shared by the two countries provide a favorable ground for enhancing bilateral relations in all aspects.

The Tajik president, for his part, highlighted the necessity to develop bilateral ties, particularly in mining, health, science and technology, and agriculture sectors

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Raisi arrived in Dushanbe on Novemebr 8. During the day, he also attended a meeting of the two countries' traders and businessmen.

EF/MA

Photo: Iran’s PBO Head Davoud Manzour (C) and Tajikistan’s Minister of Finance Fayziddin Qahhorzoda (2nd R) meet in Dushanbe on Friday.