Today, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, participating as an honorary guest in a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, met with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyed Ebrahim Raisi.

Having warmly greeted each other, the interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to discuss in a personal meeting key aspects of current and future promising interstate cooperation, as well as topical issues of international politics.

Taking this opportunity, the Turkmen leader once again cordially congratulated his Iranian counterpart on his election to the post of President of Iran and wished him great success in his responsible state activities. Speaking about bilateral cooperation, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed that our country attaches particular importance to its consistent expansion and strengthening in all directions.

During the meeting, the interlocutors noted that at the present stage, interstate political, diplomatic, economic and cultural relations are actively developing on the basis of the principles of equality, mutual respect and good neighborliness.

At the same time the parties' positions on key issues of the global and regional agenda of mutual interest, primarily in the field of ensuring universal peace and security, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, were noted with satisfaction.

Continuing the conversation, the heads of state noted that today, taking into account the prospects for the development of national economies, there are good conditions for bringing trade and economic ties to a qualitatively new level, and great opportunities are opening up for expanding the range of export-import goods.

Speaking about the importance of the activities of the Joint Turkmen-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission in the intensification of bilateral partnership, Presidents Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi stressed the need for more effective use of the potential of this structure, which is one of the important tools for building up relations between our countries. The agreements reached following the meetings of the Commission are designed to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Within the framework of the meeting, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov invited his Iranian counterpart to take part in the 6th Summit of the Heads of the Caspian States and the 15th high-level meeting of the heads of states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation in our country in October and November this year, as well as to pay an official visit to Turkmenistan at any time convenient for him.

At the end of the meeting, the interlocutors exchanged mutual good wishes, expressing confidence in the further steady building up of a productive dialogue, fully meeting the state interests and priorities of the socio-economic development of Turkmenistan and Iran.