March 28, The Iran Project - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Ashgabat on Tuesday (March 27) to open a new chapter in Iran-Turkmenistan ties especially in the economic field.

While in Ashgabat, Rouhani held separate meetings with several Turkmen officials including his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and took part in a joint meeting attended by the two countries high-ranking delegations where they discussed ways of boosting relations and cooperation between Tehran and Ashgabat.

Signing 13 agreements by the officials of the two countries and visiting the historic, religious city of Merv was in the itinerary of the Iranian president's visit to Turkmenistan.

Talking to his Turkmen counterpart, President Rouhani referred to the opening of Sarakhs Bridge and its role in cementing relations, adding �with the elimination of obstacles related to transportation, cooperation between the two countries will further develop, paving the way for more cooperation between the private sectors, as well.�

For his part, Berdimuhamedow, voiced appreciation over Rouhani�s visit, stressing his country�s resolve to further develop ties with Iran in all fields of mutual interest.

In a meeting attended by the high-ranking delegations of Iran and Turkmenistan in Ashgabat, President Rouhani stressed importance of having friendly and brotherly ties with Turkmenistan.

On cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkmenistan in different fields, especially energy, transit and transportation, Rouhani stated �beginning of the project of the third line of power transport from Iran to Turkmenistan, new cooperation in the field of oil and gas in Caspian Sea and providing loans for the development of transport between the two countries can be new steps in economic relations between the two countries.�

The inked documents - the two countries signed 13 cooperation pacts - were in cultural, artistic, scientific and educational fields, as well as exchange of electronic customs information, memorandum of understanding between the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran and the Turkmenistan Standard Government Office, agriculture, cooperation between the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Iran and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Policy of Turkmenistan, aviation, cooperation between Institute For Political And International Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, scientific cooperation between Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Turkmen Agricultural University, scientific-educational cooperation between Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and the Turkmen National Institute of Foreign Languages.

In a meantime, a joint statement was signed between Iran and Turkmenistan after President Rouhani and his Turkmen counterpart met in Ashgabat.

"The Iranian and Turkmen presidents have reiterated on the need to develop bilateral relations in the areas of mutual interest by taking into consideration the strategic level of mutual cooperation," part of the joint statement said.

Eventually, Rouhani left the country for Azerbaijan on Wednesday (March 28) upon an official invitation from his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev.