IRNA - Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami announced the start of negotiations for a launching direct flight between Tehran and Dushanbe.

Eslami made the remarks in a meeting with the Tajik ambassador Tajikistan ambassador to Iran Nizomoddin Zohidi.

Tajikistan's ambassador to Iran Nizomoddin Zohidi met with Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami last night.

Referring to the long-standing historical, cultural and linguistic link between Iran and Tajikistan, the Iranian minister noted that some groups have been trying to create a sense of malevolence between the two countries. "Iran has taken decision for 40 years to be independent and suffered many hardships along the way."

Pointing to the plan of the enemies to influence and derail relations between Iran and its neighbors, Eslami noted that fortunately, these enemies’ efforts to make divisions have been failed in most cases and have not been successful, and the recent visit of the Presidents of Iran and Tajikistan had also positive and clear message.

The senior Iranian official pointed to the steps taken to establish a flight line between the two countries, and said Mashhad-Dushanbe flight line has been established and is now active and we can also launch the Tehran-Dushanbe flight line through the National Airlines.

Noting that Iran's policy for rail links between Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China has not changed and that there must be a will to carry out this project, Eslami reiterated that despite the insecurity and the incident that led to the martyrdom of one of Iranian personnel in part of the Khaf-Herat railway line on Afghan soil, Iranian side did not stop this project; so far, three-quarters of this railway route is complete and Iran is determined to complete the rest of the project. Afghanistan and Tajikistan must also be determined to take the necessary steps.

Referring to common language, cultural proximity, and religious and historical commonalities between the two countries, Tajikistan's ambassador Nizomoddin Zohidi, for his part, emphasized the necessity of development of mutual cooperation, adding that Iranian President Rouhani's recent visit to Tajikistan opened a new chapter in relations between the two countries.

He mentioned the road and transport areas as important areas of cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan and went on to say that since Tajikistan's independence, the development of roads has been one of its goals and Iran has provided a lot of assistance to Tajikistan in this regard, and the Tajikistan Independence Tunnel Project has been one of those partnerships.