Uzbek president urges road map for economic cooperation with Iran

Mirziyoyev made the remarks in a Tuesday meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahiant at the Central Asian country’s presidential office.

Mirziyoyev praised Iran’s progress in the areas of science and industry despite all the sanctions in place against the Islamic Republic, saying Uzbekistan should benefit from Iran’s valuable experience in the fields of technology, industry and knowledge-based firms.

Mirziyoyev added that the issue of Afghanistan is a common concern of its neighbors, announcing that the foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbors will soon hold a meeting in Tashkent for the exchanges of views on the situation in the country.

Amirabdollahian also pointed to the key issues on the agenda of both countries, including a visit by the Uzbek president to Iran, the second session of the Joint Security Cooperation Commission in Tehran and the 15th session of the Joint Economic Cooperation Commission of Iran and Uzbekistan.

He also called for the expansion of economic and trade ties between the two countries.

The Iranian foreign minister stressed the need for signing of a preferred trade agreement aimed at promoting bilateral ties as well as activating the 18 documents signed between the two states during a visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where he joined a session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Council.