Iran and Turkmenistan signed four memorandums of understanding during a visit to Tehran by Turkmen Supreme Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on August 28.

The MoUs involved the gas sector, customs, diplomatic cooperation and sisterhood of the two Caspian Sea ports of Amirabad and Turkmenbashi, according to Iran’s presidential website.

The documents were signed by the ministers of foreign affairs, road and urban development, and oil and customs authorities of the two countries.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian later said in a joint press conference with Berdimuhamedov that he would soon meet the national leader of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat and would “follow up on what we wrote operationally.”

Berdimuhamedov, who was heading a high-level delegation, arrived in Tehran in the morning of August 28 as the first foreign guest of Iran’s new government and was received by Roads Minister Farzaneh Sadeq.

The two countries’ delegations then held a meeting to discuss ways of expanding bilateral relations.

Pezeshkian described the deep-rooted and historical relations between the two countries as a suitable basis for developing cooperation.

He said the agreements between Iran and Turkmenistan in the gas sector are a strategic step toward transforming Iran into a regional gas hub that would benefit both countries.

Later on, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi described the border between the two countries as one of Iran’s safest borders, stressing the need to use this opportunity for the benefit of both nations.

He also underlined the necessity of joint cooperation in helping the two countries’ common neighbour, Afghanistan, overcome its challenges.

Iranian and Turkmen ministers later conferred on ways to expand cooperation in the gas, electricity, petrochemical, ports and maritime, and road and rail transport sectors.

Reaching the transit target of 20mn tonnes of goods and facilitating visa services were among other subjects of discussion.  

Berdimuhamedov called for further development of bilateral relations, particularly in trade and cooperation in the Caspian Sea region. He expressed his country’s will to support Iran’s international initiatives.