Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, who is on a visit to Tashkent, met on Wednesday morning with Viktor Mahmudov, National Security Secretary of Uzbekistan, discussing ways to boost cooperation in bilateral and regional issues.

Referring to Uzbekistan's very important geopolitical position in the heart of Central Asia and its special place in security and regional cooperation, Admiral Shamkhani said: "Issues such as preventing the spread of terrorism and extremism in the region are among the common security concerns of the two countries, and we must try to be more successful in countering these threats."
Shamkhani added: "The common borders of Iran and Uzbekistan with Afghanistan require increased cooperation to resolve problems and establish peace and stability in this country."
 
Expressing hope for further acceleration of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council noted that fortunately, with the will of the presidents of the two countries, economic cooperation has grown by 70%, which is necessary for this process to continue to achieve growth of at least $1 billion in trade.  
Addressing Iran's top official, Uzbek National Security Secretary Viktor Mahmudov for his part stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of agreements reached by senior officials of the two countries to maximize bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, transit and security dimensions, and said: "Your visit to Uzbekistan can play a decisive role to accelerate the developing relations between the two countries and to establish fruitful security cooperation to maintain peace and stability in the region."
 
Expressing satisfaction with Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, he said: "Uzbekistan, as the current chairman of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, will use all its capacities for Iran's permanent membership in this organization."
 
It is worth mentioning that the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council will continue his two-day visit to Uzbekistan and will meet with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Wednesday afternoon.