Oriented on making people closer

The results of the 18th meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Iranian Commission on Economic Cooperation held last week were presented at a government meeting on Friday, March 23. According to the report of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov, a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation were included on the agenda of the meeting. The parties discussed prospects for cooperation in the gas sector, in particular, issues related to direct supplies of Turkmen "blue fuel" to Iran, its transit through Iranian territory to third countries, including under the SWAP scheme. In the context of considering the possibilities of expanding interstate partnership in the electric power industry, the issues of implementing the Turkmen section of the Mary-Mashhad power transmission line project, and the further supply of Turkmen electricity to Iran were touched upon. One of the key areas of bilateral cooperation is interaction in the transport sector, and in this aspect, the Gumdag-Etrek-Iranian border highway project, 242 kilometers long, was considered and an agreement was reached on increasing transport and cargo flows between the two countries.

Much attention during the meeting was paid to the prospects for intensifying partnership in the area of trade and business structures. In particular, an agreement was reached on the preparation of a Work Plan for 2026-2028 in order to intensify trade and economic ties and further increase trade turnover. In this regard, issues of creating border trade zones were discussed. It was noted that the stimulation of productive contacts in this area should be facilitated by holding joint exhibitions, business forums, and other events, drawing up a Roadmap, as well as the creation of the Turkmen-Iranian Business Council. The agenda of the meeting also included issues of bilateral relations in the field of water management and further strengthening traditional cultural and humanitarian ties.

The Iranian side also views the agreements reached at the 18th meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Iranian Commission on Economic Cooperation as the basis for plans to develop cooperation in strategic areas. In particular, immediately after the meeting on Wednesday, Director General of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Jabarali Zakeri announced plans to increase rail transit between Iran and Turkmenistan to four million tons per year. NOURNEWS reports his words that more than one million 600 thousand tons of cargo were transported between the two countries last year, and the volume of cooperation between the parties is planned to be increased to four million tons per year. It is expected that rail traffic will increase with the resolution of border issues between the two countries in Sarakhs, Lotfabad and Inchebrun. According to Zakeri, at Lotfabad Border Terminal, traders and cargo owners are given a special discount on transit cargo and it is projected that 170,000 to 200,000 tons of cargo will be added to the rail transportation from Lotfabad Border Terminal, which is happening for the first time, and a significant volume of cargo will be transported from this terminal.

ORIENT

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