This afternoon, His Eminence Ayatollah Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, met with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, chairman of the People's Expediency Council of Turkmenistan. He referred to Iran and Turkmenistan as relatives with many shared cultural commonalities. He emphasised, "These cultural commonalities are an important basis for further expanding relations in various sectors, particularly energy and roads."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the hundreds of scientists and renowned personalities from the region between the Atrak and Jayhoun Rivers as well as the tomb of the famous Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy in Iran, stating, "These cultural fields mustn't be underestimated."
His Eminence Ayatollah Khamenei expressed appreciation for the chairman of the People's Expediency Council of Turkmenistan's efforts in expanding cultural centres and mosques and his attention to cultural and religious issues. He said, "There are more capacities to expand cooperation in commercial affairs, especially in the transportation sector and areas related to water, electricity and gas, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate in these sectors."
In response to the chairman of the People's Expediency Council of Turkmenistan's request for Iranian specialists and experts to construct a highway from near the Iran-Turkmenistan Border to the Caspian Sea, he added, "The Iranian Ministry of Roads can build this highway. Also, considering the great importance of land and rail connections to the global economy, we are determined to complete the North-South Transit Route that can connect Turkmenistan and its surrounding countries to the Gulf of Oman."
The Leader of the Revolution saw an expansion of relations to be in the interests of both countries and emphasised, expressing optimism about the future of their relations, "Further cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkmenistan will lay the groundwork for improving the two countries' position in the changing world."
During the meeting, also attended by Ayatollah Amoli Larijani, chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council, Mr  Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, chairman of the People's Expediency Council of Turkmenistan, expressed his joy in meeting the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. He stated, "During the past years and my presidency, I have benefited greatly from your opinions and recommendations during my trips to Iran, and important tasks have been carried out based on those recommendations. In this meeting, too, I am looking to take advantage of these recommendations so we can carry out great projects in Turkmenistan."
Regarding his negotiations with the Iranian officials, he added, "Positive agreements have been made to expand cooperation in these negotiations, especially the use of Iranian specialists and experts in road construction and the fields of water, electricity, and gas."