DUSHANBE, September 3, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Ambassador of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan Zokir Vazirov died in Baku today, aged 64 after a long illness, Embassy of Tajikistan in Baku told Asia-Plus.

Zokir Vazirov was reportedly taken to the Baku central hospital in late August after suffering a stroke.

The Tajik MFA information department says Zohir Saidov, Counselor of the Tajik Embassy in Baku, is currently serving as Charge d’Affaires.

Zokir Vazirov had served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan since February 27, 2008.

Before that he had been Chancellor of the Dushanbe-based Institute of Entrepreneurship and Service (since December of 2006).  From February of 2005 to December 6, 2006, Vazirov served as Minister of Labor and Social Protection.

From 1998 to 2005 Zokir Vazirov served as Vice-Premier of Tajikistan under a 30-percent quota allocated to representatives of the United Tajik Opposition.

Born in the Tavildra district on May 5, 1948, Zokir Vazirov received his early education there before graduating from the Faculty of History at Dushanbe State Teachers’ Training Institute.  Zokir Vazirov had the scientific degree of Doctor of Sciences in Philosophy.