Today, in the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, where on the day before President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov arrived on an official visit, high-level talks took place.

…In the morning, from the residence allotted to him in the Serwestan building, the motorcade of the head of the state headed towards the Jumhuri Palace of the Sa'dabad Complex.

Here, on the square in front of the Palace an official welcoming ceremony of the high Turkmen guest took place.

President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi warmly and brotherly welcomed President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

Having exchanged handshaking, heads of the two states by the carpet runner proceed to the centre of the square, where the Guard of honour stand still in a solemn formation. State hymns of Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran play.

After the official photographing ceremony in front of the national flags of Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Iranian leader invites the high guest to proceed into the Palace.

Here, President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi acquaints President Serdar Berdimuhamedov with members of the government delegation of his country. In his turn, the head of the state also introduces his Iranian colleague to members of the government delegation of Turkmenistan.

Further, the meeting of the leaders of the two countries took place in the “face-to-face” format.

As was underlined, our countries fruitfully cooperate in the political and diplomatic, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian fields, which have found their reflection in a number of inter-state, inter-governmental and inter-departmental documents signed up to date.

Availing of the opportunity, the head of the state invited his Iranian colleague to come with an official visit to our country at any convenient time for him.

Interlocutors exchanged views on a wide range of partnership issues both in the bilateral format and on the margins of the largest international organizations and discussed topical issues of regional and international policy, which represent mutual interest.

Further, the talks continued with full participation of members of governmental delegations of Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

As was stated, the relations of good neighbourhood, friendship, brotherhood and mutual understating between our peoples strengthen and develop, bilateral trade and economic cooperation obtain a new quality and conditions for steady expansion of cultural and humanitarian relations are created. Inter-state, intergovernmental, and inter-sectoral documents make up a contractual legal basis of partnership.

Having outlined cooperation in transport among significant areas of long-term interaction, the head of the state stated that he considers IRI one of the main partners in the given area as by the North-South railway from Turkmenistan via Iran the shortest route to ports of the Persian Gulf opens. With a view of intensification of work carried out in this field, taking into account a great potential of trunk railway Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran, it was proposed to establish the Inter-governmental commission for transport between the two countries.

The necessity of intensification of joint activities for realization of the project of transport corridor Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman-Qatar, which India and Kazakhstan officially joined, as soon as possible, was also underlined.

Having highly appreciated the Turkmen-Iranian agreements on SWAP delivery of natural gas, profile organizations of the two countries were proposed to explore a possibility of export of natural gas to third countries by SWAP.

Further, the ceremony of signing of bilateral documents took place.

To the applauds of the present, Presidents Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Seyed Ebrahim Raisi signed the Joint Statement.

The signed documents are as following: Memorandum of mutual understanding between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on development of transport and transit cooperation; Memorandum of mutual understanding between the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan and the Organization of Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of the Islamic Republic of Iran on establishment of the joint committee for investments; The Program between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for scientific, cultural, creative and educational exchange for 2022–2025; Memorandum of mutual understanding between the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Television, Radiobroadcasting and Cinematography and IRIB TV and Radio Company of the Islamic Republic of Iran on cooperation; Memorandum of mutual understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and the Department of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Iran on cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection; Memorandum of mutual understanding between the khyakimlik of Mary region of Turkmenistan and the khyakimlik of Khorasan Razavi province on cooperation in trade and economy, science and technology and culture; Memorandum of mutual understanding between the khyakimlik of Balkan region of Turkmenistan and the khyakimlik of Golestan province of the Islamic Republic of Iran on cooperation in trade and economy, science and technology and culture; Memorandum of mutual understanding between the khyakimlik of Akhal region of Turkmenistan and the khyakimlik of Khorasan province of the Islamic Republic of Iran on cooperation in trade and economy, science and technology and culture.

It should be also noted that within the framework of the visit, members of the governmental delegation of Turkmenistan the day before held meetings and talks with their Iranian colleagues in Teheran and discussed priory areas of bilateral relations in various spheres. By their outcome, a package of documents was signed.

Upon completion of the ceremony of signing of documents, heads of the states made brief statements for the press.

The present talks, which were held in the business like and friendly atmosphere, confirmed a true partnership and fruitful character of the Turkmen-Iranian dialogue. This high level meeting is called to become a turning point in further development of relations between the two countries, President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi stated, underlining that practical implementation of the signed documents will serve to bring Turkmen-Iranian collaboration qualitatively to a new level.

The Afghan problem became one of the topics of the agenda, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stated and confirmed commitment of the two countries to see Afghanistan a prospering country, taking an active part in regional and international projects.

Further, from the Juhuri Palace of the Sa’dabad complex, the President of Turkmenistan headed towards the residential place of the Supreme Spiritual Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Here, the meeting with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in which President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi also took part, was held.

Availing of the opportunity, the head of the state conveyed the Supreme Spiritual Leader of the neighbouring country warm greetings and best wishes as well as words od sincere gratitude for support in the cause of strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran from Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

On the sidelines of exchange of views, the head of the state and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei noted the importance of the role of bilateral relations in ensuring of regional stability and security.

In the course of the meeting, interlocutors confirmed their intension to further expand and strengthen closely mutually beneficial partnership, which possesses a great potential and wide vista.

Further, in the Hafeziýe palace, heads of the states visited the exhibition of national values, decorative and applied art of the Iranian people.

Further, the meeting between the President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of IRI Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf took place.

In the foyer, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf acquaints the high Turkmen guest with the delegation of Iran, which takes part in the meeting. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in his turn introduces the head of the Islamic Consultative Assembly to members of the delegation of Turkmenistan.

After the joint photographing ceremony against the background of national flags of the two friendly countries, the high Turkmen guest and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf proceeded into the Aýna hall.

During the meeting held there, the head of Turkmenistan, first of all, conveyed warm and cordial words of greeting of Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Chairman of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and sincerely congratulated him on his recent election to the post of Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, wishing him great successes in his work.

At the end of the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan expressed his sincere gratitude for warm welcome accorded on the hospitable land of Iran and availing of the opportunity, invited the Chairman and members of the Parliament of IRI to visit Turkmenistan at the convenient time.

Further, the motorcade of the President of Turkmenistan headed towards Mehrabad International Airport, from where the head of the state left for his country.

In some time, the presidential airplane landed at the international airport of the Turkmen capital, where officials welcomed head of the state Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

As a whole, the official visit of the President of Turkmenistan displayed that the long-term close intergovernmental cooperation includes itself important promising areas and meets national interests of both countries. The relations between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran will serve peace, sustainable development and welfare of peoples of the two countries and the region. There is no doubt that agreements reached in the course of the present high-level meetings will open new horizons for further development of partnership in priority areas.