MNA � In a message on Tuesday, Iran's Ambassador to Dushanbe Mohammad Taghi Saberi expressed condolences over the death of a number of prominent Tajik scientific and literary figures and elites in recent weeks, amid the outbreak of the lethal coronavirus.

"I express my condolences to families of the victims, Tajik nation and government and I hope all who lost their lives to rest in peace," Saberi wrote in his message.

He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always stood beside the Tajiks and

Tajikistan reported its first 15 coronavirus cases on April 30. The number of infections climbed to 3,100 Tuesday, of who 46 have lost their lives.

Iran and Tajikstan have been working on the expansion of their mutual ties in various sectors even under the pandemic.

For instance, Iran's embassy in Tajikistan announced that as of Monday February 3, Iranian Varesh airline started direct flights to Dushanbe and then to Bishkek.

Also, back on November 10 and 11, 2019, the fourth joint consular meeting of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Tajikistan was held in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

On February 27, In a statement, Tajikistan's foreign ministry rejected rumors about Tajik diplomats' leaving Iran and the closure of the country's embassy in Tehran due to the spread of coronavirus in the country.