FM: Iran-Tajikistan trade ties surpass $210m in 2012

The trade ties between Iran and Tajikistan exceeded $210mln in value in 2012, thanks to the two sides\' growing cooperation, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi said. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a strategically important partner for Tajikistan, Zarifi said in a press conference in Dushanbe on Wednesday. He described Iran and Tajikistan\'s cultural, religious and lingual commonalties as a base for enhancement of bilateral ties in political, economic, cultural and humanitarian areas, and said the trade exchanges between the two countries surpasses $210 million in 2012. Zarifi said that Tehran and Dushanbe have signed over 150 economic, cultural and trade agreements in 20 years, most of which have become operational so far. Iran and Tajikistan have recently accelerated expansion of their ties and cooperation and observers believe that the good achievements gained in area of their mutual cooperation should be deemed as a result of the efforts made by the two countries\' officials. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon, in a meeting in the Kuwaiti capital city late October, explored avenues for the further expansion of bilateral relations. During the meeting held on the sidelines of the 1st summit of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Kuwait city, Ahmadinejad and Rahmon studied the ongoing cooperation between the two countries as well as future outlook for mutual cooperation. The two sides also underlined the necessity for rapid and effective implementation of joint infrastructural projects in the field of energy, transportation, industry, agriculture, economy, science and culture.