Tajik president, Iranian DM discuss security cooperation

DUSHANBE. Oct 18 (Interfax) - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has met with Iranian Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, the Tajik presidential press service said on Wednesday.

"The sides noted the escalation of threats and challenges and underlined the need for stepping up cooperation to counter such phenomena as terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and transborder organized crime," the press service said.

The meeting addressed Tajik-Iranian relations, including the joint provision of security, it said.

Both sides called for intensifying interaction mechanisms and comprehensively implementing bilateral documents and related agreements, the press service said.

Ashtiani arrived in Tajikistan on Tuesday and is expected to discuss Iranian-Tajik security and defense with his Tajik counterpart Sherali Mirzo.