Iran, Tajikistan sign five cooperation pacts

TEHRAN,May 30(MNA) - Iran and Tajikistan inked five agreements in different fields at the end of their 9th Joint Economic Cooperation Meeting in Dushanbe on Tuesday. Memorandum of the 9th meeting, construction of a power plant, cooperation between Iran Khatamol-Osia Construction Headquarters and Tajikistan’s energy ministry, cooperation between health ministries, and cooperation between Iran’s Sabir Company and Tajikistan’s transport ministry, were signed by the two sides. On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Iranian Energy Minister Majid Namjou said that the government has allocated a special budget to the Sangtudeh Dam project, which is being carried out by Iran in Tajikistan. In April, the Iranian ambassador to Tajikistan, Ali-Asghar Sherdoost, said that during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent trip of to Tajikistan, the presidents of Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan signed a memorandum of understanding authorizing the construction of a highway from Iran to Afghanistan and Tajikistan and from there to China. “If this highway is built, it will be possible to have a pipeline transporting oil and gas from Iran and transporting water from Tajikistan to Iran, Afghanistan, and some countries in the Persian Gulf. We also discussed the construction of a petroleum refinery, which is in need here in Tajikistan, and for which Iran has the technology”, he added. Trade between Iran and Tajikistan exceeded $500 million during Iranian calendar year 1390 (March 2011-March 2012).