Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday met here with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref to discuss bilateral cooperation, including trade, energy, transport and industry, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
The meeting took reportedly place at the Palace of the Nation. In the course of the talks, Emomali Rahmon emphasized the importance of Iran’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The two sides expressed satisfaction with the development of Tajik-Iranian relations and regular political dialogue at the highest and senior levels.
Particular attention was paid to expanding economic and trade ties, including cooperation in transport, energy, industry, agriculture, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
The discussions also covered ways to diversify the range of goods traded between the two countries and develop joint production.
The parties reportedly also highlighted the importance of strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties and exchanged views on regional and international issues.
Iran’s first VP arrives in Dushanbe for SCO prime ministers’ meeting
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref arrived in Dushanbe on Monday, October 19, to attend the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government, Iranian media report.
Aref was welcomed at Dushanbe International Airport by Tajikistan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Hokim Kholiqzoda, according to Iranian news agencies.
The Iranian state news agency IRNA reports that during his two-day visit, Aref is also scheduled to hold talks with prime ministers of several participating countries.
Iran’s priorities at the meeting include expanding economic and trade cooperation, making greater use of transport and logistics capacities, developing cooperation in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, and strengthening regional ties, IRNA reports.
The Mehr News Agency (MNA) also quoted Aref as saying before his departure that economic cooperation and artificial intelligence were among Iran’s key priorities within the SCO framework.
Tajikistan and Iran expand trade and transport cooperation
Trade between Tajikistan and Iran reached $438 million in 2025, an increase of 28% compared with 2024. Bilateral trade continued to grow in the first half of 2026.
From January through June, trade between the two countries totaled $254.3 million, up 14.8% year on year.
Tajikistan is seeking to strengthen economic ties with Iran to improve access to seaports and markets beyond Central Asia. Iran, meanwhile, views Tajikistan as an important regional partner and a fellow member of international and regional organizations, including the SCO.
The two countries’ cooperation priorities include increasing trade, diversifying the range of exchanged goods, improving transport links and expanding industrial cooperation.
During Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Tajikistan in January 2025, the two countries signed 23 cooperation documents. They subsequently took steps to ease travel requirements, and in October 2026, fully abolished visa requirements for each other’s citizens.
Dushanbe is hosting the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government on October 20. The meeting is expected to focus on trade and economic cooperation, investment, innovation, digital infrastructure, transport and logistics, as well as cultural and humanitarian ties.
Heads of government and senior representatives of SCO member states are expected to participate.