TEHRAN — Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon met with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Monday evening.

In the meeting, the Leader stated, “The potential for expanding cooperation between the two countries in various fields is far beyond the current level, and according to the policy of the Iranian government to strengthen relations with neighbors, relations between the two countries should undergo a fundamental change.”

The Leader also called the two countries “relatives and brothers,” referring to the deep historical, religious, and cultural affinities coupled with a common language.

Ayatollah Khamenei praised the Tajik President's efforts to spread the Persian language. However, he noted that these efforts are far from the desired point.

He assessed Iran's technical, engineering, industrial and scientific capacities as an important potential to help Tajikistan, suggesting that in order to use these capacities and seriously expand cooperation, the Joint Iran-Tajikistan Commission should seriously devise plan to operationalize the signed documents.

The Leader said Iran’s diverse climate, vast lands and plains as well as its scientific, technological progresses and knowledge-based companies coupled with Tajikistan’s abundant water and extensive mines have created opportunities for promoting joint cooperation.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said sanctions on Iran have led to progress in various fields. “Even with sanctions, the Islamic Republic of Iran has done well in various areas, and without sanctions these advances would not have been possible because sanctions have made us rely on our own internal strengths and capabilities.”

Ayatollah Khamenei called the sanctions a “weapon” by arrogant countries against independent countries, emphasizing, “What makes this weapon ineffective is the attention to the internal capacities and capabilities.”

The Leader went on to say that regional issues, especially the situation in Afghanistan, are among the areas for cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan.

“Iran and Tajikistan have common concerns about Afghanistan and both countries are concerned about the spread of terrorism and the growth of Takfiri groups in this country.”

“Iran and Tajikistan have common concerns about Afghanistan and both countries are concerned about the spread of terrorism and the growth of Takfiri groups in this country. We believe that the current officials who are now in power in Afghanistan should be able to use all groups with a comprehensive and inclusive government.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the recent visit of Iran’s Armed Forces chief Mohammad Bagheri to Tajikistan during which he inaugurated a drone factory in the country, saying such cooperation is very important.

“Drones are an important factor in the security of countries today,” the Leader noted.

For his part, President Rahmon expressed great satisfaction with his visit to Iran and meeting with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and President Raisi, saying, “Good negotiations were held in various fields, including trade, economic and industrial relations, and according to the signed documents, it is hoped that with your guidance, the relations between the two countries will expand even more.”

He cited security concerns, especially about Afghanistan and the spread of terrorism, as important issues between the two countries.

“We want peace and serenity and a government with involvement of all ethnicities in Afghanistan; and we hope that by increasing security cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan, concerns can be solved,” the Tajik president pointed out.

Prior to the meeting, Rahmon was officially welcomed by President Ebrahim Raisi at Saad Abad Palace.

The two presidents then held a fairly lengthy meeting behind closed doors. After the meeting, the two presidents and respective ministers of Iran and Tajikistan held a special working group to assess various areas for cooperation.

The special working group ended on a positive note as senior officials of Iran and Tajikistan signed 17 cooperation documents in the fields of politics, economy, trade, transportation, investment, new technologies, environment, sports, energy, judiciary, education and research, and tourism at the presence of presidents Raisi and Rahmon.