TEHRAN - The 16th meeting of the Iran-Turkmenistan Joint Economic Committee was held after a two-year hiatus in Tehran on Tuesday, IRNA reported.

As reported, the meeting was chaired by the Iranian Minister of Transport and Urban Development Rostam Qassemi, and Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov.

According to Qassemi, the two sides signed a protocol at the end of the meeting in order to deepen cooperation in various areas including gas, energy, transportation, media, and electricity.

“Unfortunately, the level of economic and trade relations between the two countries has dropped in the last two years, but as a result of two days of negotiations a joint cooperation protocol is signed between the two sides which will be the beginning of a new chapter in economic relations between the two countries,” Qassemi told the press at the end of the meeting.

“We hope that the new phase of relations that has begun between the two countries will be long term,” he added.

In the transport sector, it was decided to increase the fleet traffic at the borders, increase the working hours of border terminals, expand maritime and rail transport cooperation in customs, and implement the customs cooperation document; while in the commercial sector, we agreed to develop trade in accordance with the regulations of the two countries and prepare the ground for a preferential trade agreement, the official explained.

He also referred to the agreement on cooperation in developing relations between the free trade zones of the two countries, especially in the Sarakhs Free Zone, and said: "We will use the capacity of the free zones to hold joint exhibitions."

The two sides have also agreed on expanding inter-provincial cooperation and also to prepare the ground for the presence of Iranian companies to participate in Turkmenistan’s construction projects such as bridges, roads, and housing.

Cooperation between scientific and research centers, holding training courses for medical personnel, and cooperation in sports and tourism sectors were also agreed upon during the mentioned meeting.

Meredov for his part said that the two countries can cooperate in energy, transportation, transit, water, and trade facilities.

"It was decided to have the highest level of bilateral trade and transit ties in terms of quantity and quality," said Meredov.

The 15th meeting of the Iran-Turkmenistan Joint Economic Committee was held in Ashgabat in October 2019, according to which an economic memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the two countries.

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Photo: Iranian Transport Minister Rostam Qassemi (L) and Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov