President Raisi says Iran gives priority to expansion of relations with neighbors

Raisi made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in Tashkent, which hosts the 16th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

Boosting political and economic interactions with Islamic, neighboring and aligned countries is among the main priorities in the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy, he said.

He also highlighted the capacity of regional organizations to facilitate ties between neighbors and strengthen their interactions.

Raisi expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of Iran-Uzbekistan agreements, especially those in the fields of information technology, trade and transportation as well as monetary and banking issues, calling for more cooperation in those areas.

Mirziyoyev, for his part, said he was pleased with the meeting and underlined the need for enhancing cooperation between Tehran and Tashkent.

He also thanked Tehran for inaugurating the Iran House of Innovation and Technology in Tashkent, saying the project makes Uzbek economic activists more familiar with the Islamic Republic’s achievements, capacities and experience.

Back in June, the Uzbek president made an official visit to Iran at the head of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation.

During the trip, the two countries signed 10 documents for cooperation in a host of fields, including energy, transit, technology, agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry and insurance.

At that time, Raisi said Iran and Uzbekistan were looking to push the boundary on their trade volume, aiming for an annual $3 billion.