Closer Iran-Tajikistan Ties to Serve Regional Security: Rouhani

Rouhani said on Sunday he is confident relations between the two Persian-speaking countries will further deepen if both states join hands.

Such cooperation will serve the national interests of the two nations and reinforce regional security and stability, he added.

He made the remarks in a Sunday message to his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon to congratulate the country and its nation on their Independence Day.

He finally wished health and success for Rahmon and prosperity and felicity for the Tajik people.

Each year, Tajikistan celebrates the anniversary of its independence on September 9.

Most of Tajikistan’s population belongs to the Persian-speaking Tajik ethnic group, who share language, culture, and history with Iran and Afghanistan.

After independence, Tajikistan suffered from a devastating civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country’s economy to grow.

Iran was the first nation to establish an embassy in Dushanbe. It was also one of the first countries to extend diplomatic recognition of the newly independent Tajikistan in 1991.