DUSHANBE , July 17, Asia-Plus  -- A tripartite meeting of Tajik, Iranian and Afghan presidents is expected to be held in Dushanbe on July 26.

On Friday July 14, visiting Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs, Mehdi Safari, met with President Emomali Rahmonov, presidential press service reported.

The source says in the course of the talks the two discussed issues related to the upcoming trip of Iran ’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Tajikistan , the completion of construction of the Anzob tunnel as well as a progress of the implementation of Sangtuda-2 project in Tajikistan .  

In the meantime, according to reliable unofficial source, Rahmonov and Safari also considered the situation around the Iranian nuclear program. 

The meeting was also attended by Iranian Ambassador to Tajikistan Nasser Sarmad-Parsa. 

Following the meeting with President Rahmonov, Mr. Safari told journalists that he was leading a team of experts to Tajikistan to make arrangements for the visit of the Iranian president expected to take place in late July.  Iran ''s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Tajikistan from July 25-27.

According to Safari, President Ahmadinejad will take part in an inauguration ceremony for a newly completed tunnel and will also inspect the Santuda-2 power plant during his upcoming Tajikistan visit.  Rahmonov and Ahmadinejad also will discuss their countries'' neighbor Afghanistan and in particular energy and combating drug trafficking, Safari said. 

A tripartite meeting of Tajik, Iranian and Afghan presidents is expected to be held in Dushanbe on July 26.  The three presidents are scheduled to discuss common strategies for joint cooperation in the fields of energy, transportation and culture.  They will also discuss major regional issues including the war against terror and anti-drug campaign.

As it had been reported earlier, the Iranian delegation led by Mehdi Safari arrived in Dushanbe Friday morning for a two-day visit.  On the same day, Safari met with Tajikistan ’s Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov, Economy and Trade Minister Hakim Soliyev, and Energy Minister Abdullo Yorov.  The sides discussed venues for mutual cooperation, reviewing the memoranda of understanding and the documents, which are to be signed by the presidents of Iran and Tajikistan . 

            Safari also discussed with high-ranking Tajik officials the issues related to the construction of new building of the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe and the construction of the Iranian shopping center in Tajikistan .