TEHRAN – Tajikistan’s ambassador to Iran, Nizamuddin Zahedi, has underlined the need for the establishment of a joint scientific committee between the two countries.

Referring to the expansion of relations between Iran and Tajikistan within recent years, Zahedi said collaborative efforts in educational fields can be further expanded through resuming scholarships to attract more Tajik students and developing a joint scientific committee to hold regular meetings and come up with solutions to benefit from the optimal capacities of the two countries, IRNA reported.

The Tajik official made the remarks in a meeting on Tuesday with Saeed Habiba, the head of the Organization of Student Affairs.
He also proposed exchanging students to improve the quality of education and facilitate learning the Persian language for Tajiks.

Underscoring Iran's high educational capacity, Zahedi voiced Tajikistan’s interest in promoting scientific ties with Iran and attracting Iranian students in different fields.

For his part, Habiba highlighted cultural, linguistic, and historical commonalities between Iran and Tajikistan, saying that science diplomacy is the most effective means to promote scientific cooperation with Tajikistan.

The official underlined the country’s achievements in science and technology, particularly nanotechnology and biotechnology, noting that Tajikistan’s universities can collaborate directly with Iran's top universities in various fields.

Habiba went on to say that Iran plans to attract 320,000 foreign students and grant scholarships to Tajik students. 

Strategic priority

In June, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi highlighted Tehran’s commitment to expanding relations with Dushanbe, emphasizing that Iran views cooperation with Tajikistan as a strategic priority.

Araghchi made the remarks in a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the Palace of Nations in Dushanbe on July 30.

He pointed to the shared linguistic, cultural, and historical ties between the two nations as a solid foundation for deepening cooperation in key areas, including trade, diplomacy, education, and cultural exchange.

During the meeting, the Iranian diplomat conveyed the official greetings of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Tajik president and people.

President Rahmon welcomed the visit and echoed the sentiment, describing Iran-Tajikistan ties as rooted in centuries-old friendship and mutual respect. He called for further efforts to boost cooperation in light of current regional challenges.

The two sides discussed the current state of bilateral relations and exchanged views on expanding collaboration. They also reviewed regional developments, including the evolving situations in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and West Asia, and shared their perspectives on mutual security concerns.

Moreover, Araghchi held talks with his Tajik counterpart, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, focusing on a comprehensive agenda aimed at boosting cooperation in political, economic, commercial, academic, tourism, and consular affairs.

Minister Muhriddin reaffirmed Tajikistan’s willingness to strengthen ties with Iran, emphasizing the importance of economic and trade cooperation. He welcomed the shared political will between the two nations’ leadership to deepen engagement across all sectors.

Iran and Tajikistan share deep-rooted cultural, linguistic, and historical ties. In recent years, both nations have significantly revitalized their bilateral cooperation across various sectors. For example, on June 13, 2022, officials from Tajikistan and Iran convened a Tourism Forum to enhance tourism collaboration between the two countries.

MT/MG