TEHRAN – The commercial attaché of Iran in Tajikistan, referring to the envisioned roadmap for Iran-Tajikistan trade exchanges, stated that Iran's main advantages in this market are providing technical and engineering services, industrial technologies at competitive prices, cultural proximity, and the capability to implement joint projects.

According to IRNA, citing the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, Mohammad Ali Amirfakhrian said, pointing to the forecast of over 8% economic growth in Tajikistan: The development of infrastructure projects, energy, mining industries, mineral processing, technical and engineering services, and support for export-oriented production will be among the most important economic axes of Tajikistan in the coming years, which can create a good opportunity for the presence of Iranian economic entrepreneurs and capable companies.

Emphasizing the country's industrialization policy until 2030, he clarified: This policy has increased the need for industrial machinery, agricultural equipment, technical and engineering services, construction materials, food industries, medicine, and industrial technologies.

According to Amirfakhrian; examining Tajikistan's foreign trade structure shows that this country faces a lack of domestic capacity in the development of processing industries, infrastructure modernization, mineral processing, and completing the value chain, and this issue can create a good opportunity for the presence of Iranian companies in industrial, mining, and infrastructure projects.

Referring to Iran's export capacities, he said: Currently, in technical and engineering services, food and agricultural industry machinery, power plant equipment, construction materials, processed food industries, medicine and medical equipment, cosmetics and hygiene products, detergents, plastic industries, and steel products, we have good capability and competitive advantage, and it seems that we can supply part of the needs of the Tajikistan market.

The commercial attaché of Iran in Tajikistan added: Iran, as a country with industrial production capacities, technical knowledge, and experience in implementing infrastructure projects, and Tajikistan, as an economy with mineral resources, cheap energy, regional position, and a developing market, can create effective joint cooperation in the fields of mining industries, downstream aluminum industries, raw material processing, energy, transportation, and processing industries.

He assessed the Tajikistan market as heavily influenced by competition from China, Turkey, and Russia, and added: Iran's main advantage in this market is providing technical and engineering services, industrial technologies at competitive prices, cultural proximity, and the capability to implement joint projects.

Amirfakhrian further addressed the two countries' goal of increasing the volume of trade exchanges and said: Based on the roadmap for developing economic relations between the two countries, the volume of trade exchanges between Iran and Tajikistan has been targeted at one billion dollars by 2030. Achieving this goal will require developing private sector cooperation, creating transportation infrastructure, facilitating banking relations, strengthening distribution networks, and increasing joint investments. Also, joint investment in energy-intensive industries, mineral processing, food industries, textiles, and technical and engineering services can become one of the main axes of cooperation between the two countries in the coming years.

The commercial attaché of Iran in Tajikistan, listing other trade advantages of the two countries, said: Areas such as new energies, information technology, tourism, transportation and logistics, food industries, health tourism, agricultural product processing, and developing regional supply chains are among other important opportunities for joint cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan.

He stated that the success of Iranian companies in the Tajikistan market requires continuous presence, accurate market knowledge, cooperation with reliable local partners, establishing a distribution network and after-sales service, developing transportation infrastructure, and so on.

Iran and Tajikistan have set a target of raising bilateral trade to $1.0 billion in the near future and agreed to expand joint investments and establish shared industrial plants, as senior officials from both sides moved to deepen economic and mining cooperation.

Seyed Mohammad Atabak, Iran’s minister of industry, mining and trade, made the remarks in February, during a visit to Dushanbe, where he met with Prime Minister of Tajikistan Qohir Rasulzoda and other senior officials.

Atabak said economic relations and trade exchanges between the two countries were on a positive and expanding trajectory, adding that bilateral ties, particularly in commerce, were stronger than before.

During the multi-day visit, he held talks with three Tajik ministers, two heads of state committees and the prime minister on boosting cooperation in areas including pharmaceuticals, mining and industrial development.

The two sides agreed to pursue a roadmap aimed at accelerating the implementation of existing agreements, facilitating private sector engagement and strengthening export capacity, technology transfer and bilateral infrastructure.

In the mining sector, Iran and Tajikistan agreed to form a joint working group between Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Industry to expand the presence of Iranian companies in Tajikistan’s mining and mineral industries.

Masoud Sami’e Nejad, head of the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), said the task force would focus on reconstructing Tajik mining industries through Iranian engineering and design teams, training Tajik engineers and establishing structured engineering systems for mineral processing industries.

The working group will draft a roadmap and submit monthly progress reports to the two ministers, enabling direct coordination to resolve potential obstacles. Large Iranian mining and mineral companies are expected to participate, with plans to facilitate commodity exchanges, particularly metal products used in construction, through the establishment of service centers in Tajikistan.

Iranian firms are also set to assist in the design, production policies and rehabilitation of Tajik factories in sectors such as cement and ceramic tiles.

Officials noted that Tajikistan’s rich and largely untapped mineral reserves offer opportunities for cooperation in processing and value addition, reducing raw material exports and enhancing industrial output.

Steel cooperation emerged as another key pillar of the expanding partnership.

Saeed Zarandi, chief executive of Mobarakeh Steel, said Tajikistan’s steel market remained in the early stages of development and required both long and flat steel products.

He described the market as relatively untapped but growing, with significant potential for increased Iranian exports as Tajikistan advances its industrialization plans. Discussions with Tajikistan’s minister of industry and new technologies included the development of distribution centers and a stronger Iranian role in meeting the country’s industrial demand.

Zarandi added that Iran was also ready to cooperate in Tajikistan’s iron and non-ferrous mining projects and to supply water transmission pipes to support large-scale water infrastructure initiatives. Tajikistan holds some of the region’s largest freshwater reserves and is planning major water projects.

The expanding dialogue comes as Tehran seeks to position its engineering, mining and steel capabilities as drivers of regional economic integration, with both sides expressing optimism that closer industrial cooperation will support domestic development in Tajikistan while opening new markets for Iranian producers.

MA