DUSHANBE, January 4, 2010 Asia-Plus  -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today participated at a joint news conference with Tajik and Iranian journalists.

Speaking at the news conference, President Rahmon, in particular, said that Tajik-Iranian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation must raise an efficiency of its activity this year.

He noted that Tajikistan as strategic partner of Iran backed Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program at all levels.

President Ahmadinejad, for his part, said that Iran-Tajikistan friendly relations were an appropriate pattern for all regional states.  Referring to Tehran-Dushanbe ties as strategic, profound, consolidated and durable, President Ahmadinejad stressed that nothing could weaken such a friendly cooperation.

“Under the conditions of the global financial and economic crisis Tajikistan and Iran should support each other,” Iranian president noted.

Terming bilateral cooperation as growing, Ahmadinejad said the two sides were determined to further boost mutual relations.  He expressed hope that his current visit to Tajikistan would pave the way for further expansion of all-out cooperation between the two nations.

Iranian president also noted that the military presence of certain powers in the region, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan, would lead to the regional insecurity.  President Ahmadinejad further called for restoration of peace and security to the neighboring Afghanistan.