Raeisi: No obstacle gets in way of Iran’s enhancing ties with neighbors

President Ebrahim Raeisi says no obstacle can hinder the expansion of the Islamic Republic’s relations with the neighbors.

Addressing a meeting of high-ranking delegations of Iran and Uzbekistan in Tehran on Sunday, Raeisi said the enhancement of Tehran-Tashkent relations would be beneficial to both nations.

The Iranian president placed a premium on drawing up a roadmap for developing comprehensive cooperation between Iran and Uzbekistan and implementing bilateral agreements.

Raeisi said Iran's active and successful participation in the international industrial exhibition in Tashkent in April demonstrated Tehran's resolve to improve mutual trade and commercial relations.

He urged the relevant ministers of both countries to come up with a list of goods for preferential tariffs within the next two weeks, based on a bilateral agreement on preferential trade.

Pointing to historical and civilizational ties between Iran and Uzbekistan, Raeisi said the two countries enjoy capacities for the improvement of cooperation.

The Iranian president said the current visit by his Uzbek counterpart to Tehran is a major step towards deepening cooperation.

The two countries, Raeisi said, seek to double trade exchanges at the first phase and then increase them to three billion dollars.

The Iranian president urged both countries to follow up on bilateral agreements in the fields of economy and trade, transportation and transit, science and technology, agriculture, medical and pharmaceutical equipment in order to develop relations and exchange capacities.

The Iranian chief executive said the country has managed to turn threats and sanctions into an opportunity for progress.

Raeisi expressed Iran's readiness to share its experience in various scientific and economic fields with Uzbekistan.

The president stressed that the Islamic Republic does not see any “obstacles in the way of expanding relations with neighboring countries.”

Iran, Uzbekistan sign 10 documents for cooperation

Officials from the two sides issued a statement in Tehran on Sunday in the presence of both heads of state.

In the presence of Raeisi and his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Iran and Uzbekistan signed 10 documents for cooperation in a host of fields in Tehran on Sunday.

Mirziyoyev is the first Uzbek president to visit Iran in 20 years. 

At the meeting with Raeisi, he expressed Uzbekistan's interest in expanding cooperation with Iran in the fields of science, technology, transportation, energy infrastructure, medicine, and agriculture.

President Mirziyoyev invited Iranian companies and private sector activists to participate in Uzbekistan's economic projects.

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