TEHRAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Turkmenistan signed nine cooperation agreements here in the Iranian capital on Wednesday, vowing to expand ties.
Under the agreements, the two countries will boost their partnership in the fields of transportation, scientific and cultural exchanges, environmental protection, trade, and economic ties, the Iranian state TV reported.
Following the signing ceremony, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Turkmenistan is a "friendly and brother" neighbor, and his Turkmen counterpart Serdar Berdimuhamedov's visit is a turning point for the bilateral relations.
"We have had good relations with Turkmenistan during the past three decades and my recent visit to Ashgabat has strengthened the cooperation between Iran and Turkmenistan, as good steps have been taken in the field of gas swap and goods transit," Raisi told a press conference jointly held with Berdimuhamedov.
He underlined the cooperation potential between the two countries, saying that further partnership should be developed in the fields of economy, trade, water, and energy.
As for the Afghanistan issue, he noted that the two countries both hold the view that the formation of an inclusive Afghan government representing all the Afghan people and political groups is crucial for ensuring the country's long-term political stability.
Raisi stressed that the problems and issues in the region must be solved by the regional states without foreign intervention. "We believe that the presence of foreigners in this region will hinder security and create problems," he said.
For his part, Berdimuhamedov said that during the meeting with the Iranian president, they discussed various issues, including expansion of economic cooperation and increasing the volume of trade.
Berdimuhamedov arrived in Tehran for a two-day visit on Tuesday at the official invitation of Raisi. ■
