BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 19. Turkmenistan and
Iran discussed prospects for strengthening bilateral and consular
cooperation following the appointment of Iran's new consul general
in Mary.
This was reflected in a press release issued by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan following a meeting between the
country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Gurbanov and newly
appointed Iranian Consul General in Mary Seyed Mostafa
Hosseinipour.
“During the meeting, the sides discussed current issues of
Turkmen-Iranian cooperation, as well as prospects for further
developing friendly and good-neighborly relations between the two
countries,” the report says.
The Iranian consul general assured the Turkmen side that he
would make every effort to further strengthen bilateral relations
and intensify consular cooperation.
To note, Hosseinipour was appointed Iran's new consul general in
Mary in July 2026. Prior to his departure for Turkmenistan, he met
with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who stressed the
importance of further developing Iran-Turkmenistan ties, including
cooperation in the economic, trade, transit and cultural
spheres.
Meanwhile, Iran is one of Turkmenistan's longest-standing
regional partners, with bilateral cooperation spanning energy,
transport, trade, and border connectivity. The two countries share
a 1,100-kilometer border and maintain an institutional dialogue
through a Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic
Cooperation, which regularly reviews progress across sectors
ranging from gas and electricity to transport, customs,
agriculture, and investment. During the commission's latest meeting
in Tehran in 2025, the sides also discussed the creation of
cross-border trade and economic zones to stimulate bilateral
commerce.
Energy remains a cornerstone of the relationship. In recent
years, Ashgabat and Tehran have expanded cooperation on natural gas
supplies, including swap arrangements and discussions on direct
exports and transit through Iran to third-country markets. The two
sides have also advanced cooperation in electricity transmission
and maritime transport, while recent high-level meetings resulted
in agreements covering natural gas, customs cooperation, port
partnerships between Turkmenbashi and Amirabad, and
intergovernmental cooperation plans.
Transport and logistics have become another major pillar of
bilateral ties as both countries seek to strengthen regional
connectivity. Turkmenistan and Iran have been working to increase
cargo flows across their shared border, improve road, rail, and
port links, and enhance multimodal transport routes connecting
Central Asia with the Persian Gulf and broader international
markets.
