Tehran, Tashkent to boost energy, industry ties

By  Trend

The Iranian deputy minister of industry called for enhanced ties between Tehran and Tashkent in various areas, including energy and medicine.

Iran and Uzbekistan need to improve their relations in the areas of new industries, food industry, medicine and energy, Mansour Moazami said on June 27 during a meeting with Minister of Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev, IRNA news agency reported.

Referring to an upcoming visit by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Uzbekistan, Moazami said the industrial projects agreed between the two sides will be discussed during the visit.

Khodjaev, for his part, expressed his country’s willingness to increase mutual cooperation with Iran in various fields, saying, “We want to enhance our ties with Iran in the field of industry and use its experience in the sectors of new industries, food industry, machinery, medicine and energy”.

Back in February, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov held talks on issues of mutual interest, including ways to boost relations between the two Asian countries in all spheres.

In the meeting held in Tehran on Feb. 11, Zarif and Kamilov also exchanged views about the latest regional and international developments.

The top diplomats also discussed signing an inclusive agreement that would boost the two countries’ cooperation in economic and trade areas, particularly in energy fields (oil, gas and petrochemicals), railway transportation, consular services and tourism.

The two sides further held talks on cheaper direct flights between Tehran and Tashkent to encourage closer ties between businessmen and tourists from both countries and to strengthen banking cooperation between the two countries.