Iranian media reports say Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian arrived in Dushanbe today  to participate in the 14th session of the Tajikistan-Iran Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Ardakanian and Tajikistan’s Minister of the Energy and Water Recourses Daler Juma are going to co-chair the 14th session of Tajikistan-Iran economic commission, according to Tasnim News Agency.

IRNA and Iran Press (IP) say Ardakanian is also scheduled to meet with other Tajik officials to expand economic cooperation between the two countries.  

Prior to Tajikistan, Ardakanian reportedly visited Moscow and participated in the 24th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Co-chaired by the then Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonzoda and Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, the previous 13th meeting of Tajikistan-Iran Joint Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation took place in Tehran on December 2-6, 2019.  The meeting resulted in signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).  Both sides reportedly agreed to boost bilateral economic cooperation.  

Recall, Tajik Interior Minister, who was on a working visit to Iran on June 1-3, said that Dushanbe seeks expansion of ties with Tehran.

While visiting the archeological site of Persepolis in Fars Province, south Iran, Rahimzoda reportedly highlighted Iranian and Tajik nations’ proximity and cooperation between the two countries, saying that this would make ties closer and broader.  He also said that the more the people of Iran and Tajikistan communicate with each other and limitations are decreased, the broader the ties among the two countries will be.