Tajik Ambassador: Dushanbe Does Not Back Sanctions on Iran
Ambassador says sanctions harm all sides and are often contrary to international law; highlights deep Iran-Tajikistan ties, rising trade, and ongoing cooperation with Afghanistan
Tajikistan’s ambassador to Iran, Nizamuddin Zahedi, told IRNA that Tajikistan does not support sanctions on Iran, arguing they harm all sides and often violate international law. He highlighted decades of high-level dialogue, rising trade (from about $55 million in 2020 to $450 million in 2025, with a target of $1 billion), cultural ties, and joint efforts to counter shared security threats. He also noted 18 Joint Commission meetings and ongoing Afghanistan-oriented cooperation, including electricity exports and border trade.
In Tehran, IRNA reports, Tajikistan’s ambassador to Iran, Nizamuddin Zahedi, stated that Tajikistan opposes sanctions on Iran. He said: “Sanctions are not in the interest of any country, and many sanctions violate international law,” adding that today, sanctions are often used as tools for political leverage, which his country does not support.
Speaking at a news briefing marking Tajikistan’s 35th independence anniversary, Zahedi highlighted the long-running bilateral relationship. He described it as grounded in shared historical, linguistic, and cultural values that link the two peoples within a common civilizational space, and he cited ongoing high-level political dialogue as a defining strength of the partnership over the past 35 years.
Zahedi noted that over the last three decades, Tajikistan and Iran have maintained a vibrant exchange of visits: 22 official or working trips by Tajik leaders to Iran and 16 visits by Iranian presidents to Tajikistan. He also pointed to growing commercial ties, saying trade reached roughly $450 million in 2025, up from about $55 million in 2020, and that both countries aim to push this to $1 billion, with the necessary conditions in place.
The ambassador underscored cultural cooperation as a fourth pillar of the relationship, citing shared culture, language, and history as drivers of mutual benefit. He also framed security cooperation as a fifth pillar, noting joint efforts to counter terrorism, organized crime, and drug trafficking, which have helped elevate the partnership to a “strategic” level.
Zahedi described existing mechanisms to deepen ties, mentioning that 18 joint commission meetings have been held in Tehran and Dushanbe, with the latest session taking place recently in Dushanbe. He stressed that the commissions produce serious, concrete decisions to advance Tehran–Dushanbe cooperation.
On Afghanistan, Zahedi said Tajikistan remains engaged economically and commercially, exporting electricity to Afghanistan and maintaining border markets. He added that Afghanistan is used as a transit route for cooperation with Iran, though he acknowledged political differences with the current Afghan authorities in some matters.
Overall, the envoy portrayed Iran–Tajikistan relations as robust and multidimensional, underpinned by shared values, coordinated political dialogue, expanding trade, cultural collaboration, and security cooperation.