Iran Eyes Closer Ties with Central Asian States

In a message to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Saturday, the Iranian president congratulated Uzbeks on the anniversary of declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.

On August 31, 1991, Uzbekistan declared independence after a failed coup attempt in Moscow.

In the message to his Uzbek counterpart, Rouhani hailed the growing ties between Tehran and Tashkent under “interactive foreign policy and mutual efforts”, expressing confidence that such cooperation would serve their mutual interests and strengthen regional security and stability.

Rouhani also sent a message to Kyrgyzstan’s President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, saying the friendly ties between Tehran and Bishkek have grown in the political, economic and cultural areas within the framework of mutual respect and common interests.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers no limits for the development of relations with the Republic of Kyrgyzstan in any field,” Rouhani said, stressing the need for the implementation of the agreements signed during his visit to Bishkek back in December 2016.

The Republic of Kyrgyzstan gained independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991, like Uzbekistan.

In December 2016, the Iranian chief executive paid a visit to Kyrgyzstan with a high-ranking political and economic delegation as part of a tour of the Caucasus and Central Asia.

In that trip, the two countries inked five agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Iran’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee of Information Technologies and Communications. The other documents related to bilateral collaboration in the fields of health and medicine, culture and arts, social affairs, and combating narcotics trafficking.