Iran ready to link Tajikistan to open seas

Visiting Foreign Minister of Iran Ali-Akbar Salehi said Thursday that as a friendly country to Tajikistan, Iran is ready to link the landlocked country to the open seas in order to promote Dushanbe’s trade activities. Speaking in a meeting with his Tajik counterpart Hamrokhon Zarif here, the Iranian minister also voiced Tehran’s readiness to help Dushanbe broaden its transit roads. Salehi recalled a statement by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in which the Ayatollah referred to Iran-Tajikistan ties with a special term. The Supreme Leader referred to Tehran-Dushanbe ties as “a family relation” since the two capitals enjoyed common languages, religions and cultural commonalities, Salehi said. He added that the Supreme Leader had said that Iran and Tajikistan were like different parts of a single tree. The Iranian minister added that the Supreme Leader had never referred to any country in a similar way before. Referring to the geopolitical significance of Tajikistan, Salehi stressed that Iran would do all within its reach to help Tajikistan’s development and progress. Salehi’s three-day visit to Tajikistan started Wednesday night on an official invitation extended by his Tajik counterpart.