During the Investment Forum in Ashgabat, Mahdi Heidari, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Islamic Republic of Iran, noted the strategic importance of the partnership with Turkmenistan, according to the ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’ news agency.

According to him, the countries of the region are interested in forming a single economic space uniting the markets of Iran, Turkmenistan and Central Asia.

The Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasised the role of the ‘North–South’ International Transport Corridor, the Middle Corridor and the development of logistical links between the Caspian region, the Persian Gulf and global trade routes. Iran, noted M. Heidari, is prepared to provide Turkmenistan and the countries of Central Asia with access to the ports of the Persian Gulf and the markets of the Middle East.

The key areas of economic cooperation identified were energy, transit and logistics, agriculture and the food industry, as well as industrial investment.In the energy sector, the focus is on developing gas swap supplies, infrastructure for the transport, storage and processing of energy resources, and cooperation in the petrochemical industry. In the transit sector, it is proposed to modernise rail and road infrastructure, border terminals and logistics centres.

Particular attention is paid to integrating the agricultural production of Central Asian countries with Iran’s processing and packaging capacities. Investments in free and special economic zones are cited as another area of focus.

M. Heidari highlighted the experience gained by Iran and Turkmenistan in implementing joint projects. In his view, this should be built upon through new investment projects aimed at creating sustainable supply chains and strengthening regional economies.

The Iranian side expressed its readiness to continue an open dialogue with Turkmenistan and international investors.