The governor of Iran’s Qazvin province has expressed readiness to establish sister city relations with Khujand, Tajikistan’s second-largest city.

Iran’s IRNA news agency says an agreement has already been prepared and would mark an important step toward expanding cultural, tourism, and economic exchanges between the two countries.

“We are working to establish sister city ties with Khujand in Tajikistan,” said Mohammad Nozari, governor of Qazvin province, during a meeting with Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Nizomiddin Zohidi, on May 10.

Nozari emphasized that Tajikistan is a country with a shared language and ancient historical roots, preserving elements of Iranian culture and heritage.

“The people of Tajikistan are an integral part of our Iranian culture,” he noted.

The governor highlighted that the visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Tajikistan and the abolition of the visa regime between the two countries have opened new opportunities for deepening cultural ties.

He pointed out that Qazvin’s tourism potential remains underutilized.  “Tajik tourists usually visit Shiraz, while Qazvin’s tourism opportunities are often overlooked.  Yet Qazvin residents are warm and welcoming, and with the right infrastructure, they are ready to host guests from Tajikistan,” Nowzari said.

Tourism, he added, is a key focus of Iran’s national development strategy: “We’re working to strengthen tourism in Qazvin. In recent days, we have hosted several ambassadors and foreign guests. Such exchanges should continue.”

Qazvin is one of Iran’s oldest cities, with a developed economy in tourism, industry, and agriculture. The governor stated the province is ready to expand its cultural, social, and economic ties with Dushanbe and Khujand.

Nozari also announced plans to open a university of arts in the province and proposed student exchange programs with Tajikistan: “We are united by a common language, literature, and values. Tajik students studying here will not only gain academic knowledge but also become cultural ambassadors for their homeland.”

Economic cooperation is also on the agenda.

The governor proposed opening chambers of commerce in Tajikistan and developing exchanges in agriculture and the food industry, particularly in the areas of detergents, poultry meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.

He emphasized that Qazvin is among Iran’s top four industrial provinces and is open to Tajik investments. The province is also ready to host specialized conferences and form joint working groups.

Nozari highlighted Qazvin’s advancements in nanotechnology and invited Tajik scientists and experts to collaborate: “This area may be of particular interest to Tajik researchers and professionals.”

At the end of the meeting, a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed to expand ties between Qazvin and Tajikistan across multiple sectors.

Khujand, formerly known as Leninabad from 1936 to 1991, is the second-largest city of Tajikistan and the capital of Tajikistan's northernmost Sughd province.

The city is home to Khujand State University, Tajikistan State University of Law, Business, & Politics, Polytechnic Institute of Technical University of Tajikistan, and Khujand Medical College as well as 2-year technical colleges.

Khujand currently has five sister cities, including Shymkent (Kazakhstan), Bukhara (Uzbekistan), Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Nishapur (Iran), and Tabriz (Iran).

Qazvin   is a city in the Central District of Qazvin County, Qazvin province, Iran, serving as capital of the province and the district.  It is the largest city in the province.

Qazvin today is a center of textile trade, including cotton, silk and velvet, in addition to leather.  Qazvin has one of the largest power plants feeding electricity into Iran's national power grid, the Shahid Raja'i facility, which provides 7% of Iran's electrical power.