Iran and Turkmenistan are moving to convert longstanding neighborly declarations into concrete transport, trade and parliamentary cooperation, with Minister of Transport and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh leading Tehran’s delegation to Turkmenistan. Sadegh, who also chairs the Iran–Turkmenistan Joint Economic Cooperation Committee, met Dunyagozel Gulmanova, Speaker of Turkmenistan’s Assembly, in the Caspian resort city of Awaza.
The two-day visit was designed to review earlier understandings and track their implementation. Sadegh noted that after Turkmenistan’s National Leader traveled to Iran for the funeral of the martyred leader, follow-up on agreements was raised in meetings with Iran’s president and parliament speaker.
Their talks underscored a shared desire to expand inter-parliamentary ties and sustainable relations rooted in good-neighborliness. Sadegh called for larger trade volumes and pushed for follow-up on joint committee decisions, particularly in energy and transit. She also highlighted transport infrastructure, transit cooperation and the export of Iranian technical and engineering services as priorities.
Gulmanova praised Sadegh’s address to the international conference “The Role of Women in Maintaining Peace and Achieving Sustainable Development.” She stressed that Turkmenistan values synergy with neighbors and that stronger parliamentary relations reinforce friendship and economic partnership. Ashgabat, she said, seeks sustainable development and is open to broader economic cooperation.
The visit also produced tangible plans. Sadegh announced that construction of the Gumdag–Atrak road should begin within one to two months. An Iranian contractor will implement the project on Turkmen soil—a move expected to ease movement for Iranian truck drivers and improve road links. Rail border terminals have also seen progress, important given Turkmenistan’s role in moving cargo into Iran.
Regional connectivity featured prominently. Sadegh cited trilateral cooperation among Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, as well as coordination with Russia. She argued that transport talks launched and expanded over the past two years are now yielding more practical results, laying groundwork for economic and transit cooperation.
Two Iranian lawmakers joined the trip: Elham Azad, secretary of the parliament’s planning and budget committee, and Mohammad Mahdi Farvardin of the civil engineering committee. Sadegh also met Turkmen parliamentary officials to discuss friendship groups and cooperation on women, youth and sports.
Energy cooperation was discussed, with agreements expected to bear fruit soon. In Sadegh’s summing-up, continuity is key: sustained dialogue with neighbors, especially on transport, can strengthen regional cooperation and help overcome difficult conditions ahead. Both sides described the talks as productive.
