BAKU Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ahad Qazaei and Azeri Deputy Prime Minister Abed Shariov here on Friday night stressed economic cooperation between Tehran and Baku.

The Iranian ambassador expressed Iranian companies readiness for building two roads: One linking Baku to the northwestern Iranian city of Astara with a length of 320-km and another a 19-km border road between the two countries.

Laying of a gas pipeline network in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is among other plans talked about by the two officials.

The two side also discussed continuation of visits of the two countries economic and trade officials and industrialists and upgrading the bilateral economic and trade ties.

Qazaei also handed an invitation on behalf of Minister of Road and Transportation Ahmad Khorram for the Azeri official to participate in the inauguration ceremonies of the new Astara customs terminal.

Earlier in April, Iran and Azerbaijan stressed their willingness to promote bilateral ties as Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi met Azeri President Heydar Aliyev here during a whirlwind visit.

The Azeri president described Iran "a brotherly country", saying "ties between the two countries are expanding further and the efforts of those opposing promotion of relations between Tehran and Baku are neutralized."

"Nobody can prevent the expanding trend of relations between the two countries," Aliyev said. He also called for further trade of views with Tehran, given a "complicated situation which rules on the region."

Kharrazi expressed happiness at the improving trend of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, saying further exchange of visits between them would consolidate the two countries' relations.