Tehran, Baku eye deeper ties ahead of Pezeshkian’s visit
Iran’s Roads and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday in Baku as part of efforts to deepen bilateral ties ahead of a planned visit by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Aliyev welcomed the growing frequency of high-level visits between the two countries, describing them as “a good opportunity to strengthen friendship” and expand cooperation in sectors such as trade, energy and transport, Anadolu Agency reported.
During the meeting, Iranian minister emphasized the necessity of expanding economic cooperation, highlighting the importance of advancing joint transportation and energy projects, Mehr reported.
During the three-day visit, Sadegh will participate in the intergovernmental commission on economic, trade, and humanitarian cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran, held in Baku from April 8–10. Discussions will focus on the status and prospects of bilateral collaboration in transportation, transit, oil and gas, energy, trade, and strategies to address challenges.
“The holding of this commission meeting before President Pezeshkian’s visit is extremely important for discussing major issues,” she said at the meeting.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said, “The president’s visit to Baku is on the agenda, and we are coordinating the timing.”
A field visit to joint border projects by the minister of roads and urban development and the accompanying delegation is among the other activities planned for Sadegh’s trip to Baku. Additionally, the Persian and Azerbaijani versions of the Joint Economic Commission document — signed during the commission’s latest meeting in February 2023 — will be unveiled and formally endorsed.
New proposals to draft a memorandum of understanding on transportation cooperation and border affairs will also be introduced during the visit.
The Joint Economic Commission of Iran and Azerbaijan reconvened in Tehran in February 2024 after a three-year pause. At the meeting, Iran’s minister of roads and urban development noted a 20% growth in bilateral trade in 2024, reaching a record $580 million. The minister stressed the urgent need to leverage untapped collaborative potential, aiming to increase trade volume to $10 billion within five years.