Bazargan: The minister of agriculture says Iran and Turkey have reached an agreement to expand agricultural and border cooperation. Speaking to reporters at Bazargan border crossing, Minister of Agricultural Jihad Gholamreza Nouri elaborated on his recent trip to Turkey and his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) agriculture ministers' meeting in Kyrgyzstan.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, given the significant increase in Iran-Turkey agricultural relations over the past year, both sides emphasized the continuation of cooperation and utilization of existing capacities. The Turkish side also declared its full readiness to expand cooperation, he said, adding that the SCO members discussed food security and condemned the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Nouri went on to say that he had discussed border and provincial cooperation in his meetings with the governors of Turkey's Agri and Igdir provinces. Steps would soon be taken to develop inter-provincial relations through free trade zones, and the Turkish side declared its readiness to cooperate in this field, he stated.

Referring to the government's policies on developing border relations, Nouri said President Masoud Pezeshkian places special emphasis on strengthening interactions between border provinces and neighboring countries. This can help facilitate relations and expand cooperation, including border marketplaces, he said.