Iran-Turkmenistan Relations

Ashgabat, 17 June 2007 (nCa) --- Tehran and Ashgabat have enjoyed close friendly relations since the independence of Turkmenistan in 1991. After Turkey, Iran was the second country to open its embassy in Ashgabat.

Iran and Turkmenistan have signed 10 bilateral documents including 57 interstate agreements.

Tejen-Serakhs-Mashhad railway line is the only rail link that connects Central Asia with the outside world.

Dostluk dam, straddling the Iran-Turkmenistan border at Serakhs, was built jointly by Iran and Turkmenistan. It captures the excess water of Murghab-Harirud river system foryear-round irrigation. Twenty-five-thousand hectares of land on each side of the border benefits from this dam.

Korpeje-Kurtkui gas pipeline exports Turkmen natural gas to Iran. This is the only pipe that bypasses Russia for export of Central Asian gas.

Balkanabat-Aliabad grid connection helps export Turkmen electricity to Turkey through the territory of Iran.

Trade turnover between Iran and Turkmenistan was more than US $ 1.3 billion in 2006. In the Jan-Apr 2007 period the mutual trade turnover was US $ 668.9 million, making Iran the second largest trade partner of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan exports fuel, energy and agricultural products to Iran and imports foodstuff, metallic goods, construction material, equipment and machinery, household items and electrical appliances.

As of 1 May 2007, 124 joint ventures, affiliated entities, private enterprises, limited and bsiness partnerships with Iranian involvement have been registered in Turkmenistan.

Iranian companies are engaged in 72 projects in Turkmenistan and the total value of such projects is US $ 50.55 million. Most of these projects belong to the oil and gas sector.