Iran-Tajikistan Culture Ministers Stress Expansion Of Ties

Beijing, June 5, IRNA – Tajikistan Minister of Culture, Mirza Shahrokh Asrari, and Iran’s Culture and Guidance Minister, Sayed Mohammad Hosseini, emphasized development of ties in their meeting here on Monday. Tajikistan Minister of Culture in his meeting with Iran’s Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister on the sidelines of the 9th summit of the SCO Culture Ministers in Beijing called for the transfer of Iran’s experience to Tajikistan in holding international book fairs, preservation and repair of historical monuments as well as the production of qualified handicrafts. Iran’s Culture Minister, for his part, declared Tehran’s readiness to offer its experience in all fields to the brother nation of Tajikistan, noting that the expansion of cultural relations between the two countries and in particular in the fields of literature and poetry will help the two nations better understand each other. The two officials conferred on latest developments of bilateral cultural relations. Iran's Culture Minister arrived in Beijing on Monday to attend the 9th Summit of the SCO Culture Ministers, there. Beijing is hosting the 12th SCO Summit from June 6-7, which is expected to map out the future of this influential organization that brings together Russia and China, the two permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the energy-rich Central Asian states, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. India, Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia currently enjoy the status of observers in the SCO. India, China and Russia are in favor of resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and diplomacy. Iran has recently enhanced efforts to boost political, economic and cultural ties and cooperation with regional and neighboring countries, especially those in the Central Asia. Iran and Tajikistan share a common history, language and culture. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union the two countries have naturally enjoyed a close relationship. Tajiks and Iranians have been connected historically and culturally for thousands of years. Tajiks speak the Persian language, which is also the official language of Iran. Iran was the first nation to establish an embassy in Dushanbe. It was also one of the first countries to extend diplomatic recognition of the newly independent Tajikistan in 1991. Iran provided diplomatic assistance and built new mosques within Tajikistan. Due to the resurgence of Iranian culture within Tajikistan, Iran helped encourage cultural exchange through conferences, media, and film festivals. Iranian television programs, magazines, and books became increasingly common in Tajikistan. In 1995, Tajikistan opened its first embassy in Tehran, one of the few outside of the former USSR. Relations have since grown stronger; as the two nations cooperate in the energy sector and officials from both nations have supported stronger ties./end