DUSHANBE, January 4, 2010, 2009, Asia-Plus – Iranian officials declared allocation of $5mln in loan for the completion of the construction work of Tajikistan''s Istiqlol tunnel.

Iranian Deputy Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian, who has traveled to Dushanbe to prepare the grounds for Iranian president’s official visit to Tajikistan held a meeting with Tajik Finance Minister Safarali Najmiddinov over the completion of the strategic tunnel, Iran’s Fars News Agency (FNA) reported on January 3.

Following the meeting, Chitchian described his talks with the Tajik official as fruitful and important.

"At the meeting with the Tajik side, we reached an agreement on the procedures for allocating the $5mln additional loan to complete the construction of Istiqlol Tunnel project and the finalized document are being signed during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad''s visit to Tajikistan," he told FNA.