Iran, Turkmenistan resolved to sign 20 year cooperation deal: Raisi

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stated at a joint press conference with his Turkmen counterpart in Tehran on Wednesday that "The two countries' relations are brotherly, civilizational, cultural, and, in a word, very close. These strong ties between the two countries can pave the way for numerous collaborations."

Raisi described the new Turkmen president's visit to Iran as a watershed moment in the two countries' relations "There are good capacities and areas in the two countries to expand cooperation beyond the current level in the fields of economy, trade, water, electricity, and gas. The agreements and memorandums of understanding signed today by the two countries have the potential to elevate bilateral cooperation to a new level."

"In the negotiations, it became clear that the two countries have a serious will to develop relations and implement the agreements reached. More importantly, the two sides are determined to sign a strategic document of 20 years of cooperation," the Iranian president added, his official website reported.

He went on to say that cooperation with Caspian Sea littoral states is one of Iran's foreign policy priorities, "Cooperation between the two countries will surely lead to regional and international cooperation."

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Raisi also noted that Iran and Turkmenistan have very close opinions about Afghanistan, noting, "We believe that a comprehensive government should be formed in Afghanistan that represents all political and ethnic groups, and this can create security for Afghanistan."

"The two countries share the view that the problems and issues of the region should be resolved by the countries of the region and any foreign presence in the region can be problematic. Our common belief is that the presence of outsiders is not a security-building factor but creates problems," he stated.

For his part, President Serdar Berdimuhamedow said the talks between the delegations of Turkmenistan and Iran were successful. "The talks were held in an atmosphere of transparency, trust, and mutual respect between the two countries, which painted a picture of fraternal relations between the two countries."

"The energy and transportation sectors are amongst the important and strategic sectors of relations between Tehran and Ashgabat, and we will focus our efforts to effectively use these potentials to expand interactions between the two countries," the visiting president added.

"The two countries are also determined to develop cultural and humanitarian relations as one of the important sectors to strengthen the bond between the two nations and the two countries," Berdimuhamedow stated, emphasizing that during today's talks and meeting, "Afghanistan issues were also considered by both sides. Tehran and Ashgabat want Afghanistan to become a prosperous state that participates in important international and regional projects."

The Turkmen leader mentioned the signing of several cooperation documents between the two countries and mentioned that "these documents will further develop and strengthen relations between the two countries."