Iran eager to further expand ties with central Asia

Iran seeks to further develop its relations with the Central Asian states and those countries located in the Caucasus region, a senior Iranian diplomat said.Foreign Ministry's Director-General for Commonwealth States and Caucuses Affairs Mohammad Reza Morshedzadeh made the remarks in a meeting with Head of a Central Asian Department in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexander Sternik.On necessity of fostering peace, security and tranquility in the region, Morshedzadeh urged expanding friendly and good neighborly cooperation with the Caucuses and Central Asian countries.President Ahmadinejad's administration has in recent years paid special attention to Tehran's economic, cultural and political cooperation with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.Iran has also repeatedly urged convergence among the regional states, specially in the Central Asia. Iranian Officials have on many occasions stressed the strategic importance of the high economic potentials and resources of the Central Asia and initiated massive diplomatic steps to expand Tehran's ties with the neighboring and Central Asian states.