FM stresses bolstering ties with neighbors in Tashkent talks

Iranian foreign minister held the meetings on the sidelines of the 26th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

He also held a separate meeting with the Secretary General of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, H.E. Ambassador Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam on the sidelines of the Tashkent ECO meeting.

According to the Iranian foreign ministry's website, in the meeting with his Azeri counterpart, Amir-Abdollahian said that "the new developments in the South Caucasus, the liberation of the Azerbaijani occupied territories and the subsequent ceasefire agreement have opened new windows and opportunities for stability and integration in the region."

He also noted that preserving the territorial integrity of the countries in the region is important for Iran, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported and will continue to support the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Iranian diplomat emphasized the bilateral potential for expanding the relations, especially in the economic and trade fields, expressing hope that the bilateral trade relations will increase through tangible planning and serious will.

In the meeting with Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Amir-Abdollahian discussed bilateral relations, and regional and international issues.

The Iranian foreign minister said that Iran has a forward-looking approach to the main axes of the relations between the two countries, including the upcoming visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Tehran, the visit of the Speaker of the Parliament of Uzbekistan to Iran in the spring, the holding of the second joint commission on security cooperation in Tehran.

He also pointed to the holding of the 15th Joint Economic Commission of Iran and Uzbekistan and called for the expansion of commercial and economic relations between the two countries. He considered the signing of the preferential trade agreement necessary for the expansion of relations and also emphasized the implementation of the eighteen documents signed during the visit of President Ebrahim Raeisi to Samarkand to participate in the meeting of the heads of the member states of the Shanghai Organization.

In the meeting with the D-8 secretary general, Amir-Abdollahian described D-8 as a useful regional mechanism.

The D-8 secretary general, for his part, presented a report on the performance of the organization and, while pointing out the effective role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the developments and interactions within the organization. Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam also called for a ministerial meeting.

The Iranian foreign minister further stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran will fully support the D-8's actual and potential activities and cooperation.