Iran, Turkmenistan agree on cooperation in tourism, cultural development
A joint meeting was held in Tehran on Tuesday between Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Free Zones Secretariat Mehdi Mazinani and Ambassador of Turkmenistan Ylyas Gayypov, with the two sides agreeing to expand bilateral cooperation in tourism and cultural sectors.
During the session, Mazinani and Gayypov reached agreements aimed at strengthening cultural and tourism exchanges between Iran’s free and special economic zones and Turkmenistan.
The Iranian and Turkmen officials underscored the deep historical, civilizational, and cultural bonds between the two countries, describing their shared border of over 1,000 kilometers as a “frontier of friendship.”
Emphasizing the need to leverage free trade and special economic zones to deepen bilateral relations, Mazinani and Gayypov also discussed establishing direct flights between Turkmenistan and Iran’s Kish, Qeshm, and Chabahar islands to boost tourism.
Planned initiatives include a forthcoming visit by Turkmenistan’s ambassador to Chabahar to explore potential investment opportunities, the dispatch of a Turkmen investment delegation to participate in hotel and tourism complex projects in Iran’s free zones, and organizing joint tourism events, such as Iran Cultural Nights in Turkmenistan, which highlight the shared heritage of the ancient Silk Road and showcase the tourism potential of Iran’s free and special economic zones.
In the cultural section, both sides agreed to jointly organize a commemoration ceremony for Magtymguly Pyragy, the renowned Turkmen poet and symbol of cultural identity for both nations, emphasizing his role in strengthening cultural ties between Iran and Turkmenistan.
The Turkmen ambassador, for his part, referring to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s statement that “Iran and Turkmenistan are kin with extensive cultural commonalities,” stated that these shared cultural and historical bonds provide a solid foundation for expanding comprehensive cooperation.
Gayypov stressed that such relations should be further developed through joint cultural, tourism, and economic programs.
Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to continuing joint meetings and establishing an executive working group to follow up on the agreements reached.