DUSHANBE, March 27, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon arrived in Tehran Friday (March 26) afternoon at the head of a high ranking delegation to attend Navrouz celebrations.  Having arrived in Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, President Rahmon and his entourage were welcomed by Iran''s Energy Minister Majid Namjoo.

The same day, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomed Emomali Rahmon.  After the welcoming ceremony, the two presidents considered a number of issues being of mutual interest.

According to Tajik presidential press service, Rahmon and Ahmadinejad discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

In the course of the talks, Rahmon expressed satisfaction with the present level of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran in the fields of energy, transportation and industry.

According to the Tajik leader, construction of the Sangtuda-2 HPP, allocation of 5 million U.S. dollars by Iran for completion of the construction of the Istiqlol Tunnel as well as development of projects for construction of Shurob and Ayni hydropower plants in Tajikistan were an evidence of expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran.

The presidents also touched upon issues related to further expansion of bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.  In this connection, Rahmon proposed to launch joint ventures for producing building materials and processing leather, cotton and fruits.

Expansion of trilateral cooperation between the Persian-speaking countries – Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan – was also among major topics of the talks.

The sides pointed to the necessity of speeding up work on construction of the Panji Poyon-Kunduz-Puli Khumri-Mazari Sharif-Shibirghan-Maymana-Herat-Mashhad highway, a new rail link connecting Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran as well as the power transmission line Sangtuda-Mazari Sharif-Herat-Mashhad.

The two also discussed military and military-technical cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran, presidential press service said.

In the meantime, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pointed to the two governments’ will to maintain bilateral relations at the highest levels possible and said that very good agreements have been reached between the two countries in such areas as transportation, energy, water and culture in recent years, Iran’s news agency IRNA reported.  He also believed the Tajik president’s visit to Tehran to take part in the Navrouz celebrations was in fact a gesture on his part indicating solidarity with Iranian culture.

Rahmon, too, said his nation always wished the best for Iranians, stressing that expansion of cooperation with Iran topped priorities in his government’s foreign policies, IRNA reported.

Participation in the Navrouz ceremonies, bilateral meetings and attending a meeting with Iranian and Afghan counterparts are highlights of Rahmon’s visit to Iran.