ASHKHABAD Turkmen Speaker of Parliament Sakhat Myradov said in Ashkhabad on Friday that relations between Iran and Turkmenistan are growing.

He said in his address to a ceremony at the Iranian Embassy in Ashkhabad to mark the 22nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution that former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani laid the foundation of Iran-Turkmen relations, a process that is continuing satisfactorily.

Myradov said that two countries officials have exchanged visits which will be culminated by the upcoming visit to Ashkhabad of President Mohammad Khatami.

The speaker extended his felicitations to the Iranian nation on the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Former Turkmen foreign minister and the special presidential envoy Boris Shikhmyradov, Foreign Minister Batyr Berdyyev, several deputy ministers, senior officials of Turkmenistan and ambassadors of 20 countries to Ashkhabad as well as political and cultural figures attended the ceremony.

Iranian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Ebrahim Derazgisou explained the process of the Islamic Revolution to the dignitaries and hoped that relations between Iran and Turkmenistan would further develop.

Iranian musicians present at the ceremony played some national songs.

(IRNA)