Mahdi Heidari, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance and head of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran (OIETAI), made the remarks at the Ashgabat Investment Forum, emphasizing the need to translate regional economic dialogue into bankable projects and joint investment.
Heidari described Iran-Turkmenistan relations as historical and strategic, saying the two countries have an opportunity to open a new chapter in economic cooperation by expanding joint investment, strengthening infrastructure, advancing technology partnerships and increasing private-sector participation.
He said the future of investment in the region would depend increasingly on stronger links between markets, highlighting the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Middle Corridor and broader connectivity linking Central Asia, the Caspian region, the Persian Gulf and global markets as key platforms for developing regional value chains.
Building a Two-Way Economic Bridge
Heidari said Iran could facilitate Turkmenistan’s and other Central Asian countries’ access to the Persian Gulf, international waters and Middle Eastern markets, while Turkmenistan and Central Asia could, in turn, expand Iran’s access to the wider Eurasian economic space.
From this perspective, he said, investment should extend beyond the movement of capital and contribute to deeper regional economic integration by linking markets, infrastructure and production capacities.
The Iranian official pointed to a number of existing cross-border projects as evidence of the two countries’ experience in implementing major regional infrastructure schemes. These include the Korpeje-Kurt Kui gas pipeline, the Friendship Dam, the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, the Incheh Borun-Bereket rail link, electricity cooperation and the Sarakhs border region.
Heidari identified four areas as priorities for future cooperation: energy; transit and logistics; agriculture and food industries; and industrial investment in free and special economic zones.
Energy, Transit and Logistics
In the energy sector, Heidari highlighted opportunities for cooperation in gas swaps, energy transmission and storage, refining and petrochemicals. Investment in these areas, he said, could help integrate the region’s energy resources and infrastructure.
In transit and logistics, he identified investment in rail and road fleets, border terminals, logistics hubs and Caspian Sea transport infrastructure as areas with significant potential. Such investment could reduce the cost and time involved in regional trade, he said.
Heidari also pointed to opportunities to connect Central Asia’s agricultural production with Iran’s processing, packaging and distribution capabilities. Such integration could help the partners jointly expand into regional and international markets.
Iran’s free and special economic zones, meanwhile, can provide a platform for industrial investment by offering access to the domestic market while enabling investors to benefit from regional transit routes and neighboring markets, he said.
Focus on Bankable Projects
Heidari stressed that investment opportunities need to be backed by clear institutional mechanisms, predictability and projects that are commercially viable and ready for implementation.
He said Iran was strengthening its investment facilitation framework to address these requirements.
Referring to Iran’s Law on the Promotion and Protection of Foreign Investment, Heidari described OIETAI as the official authority responsible for facilitating foreign investment in Iran. He also said efforts were underway to strengthen provincial investment services centers and expand cooperation with qualified private-sector entities to facilitate investment processes.
Heidari concluded by emphasizing Iran’s readiness to move beyond the presentation of broad investment opportunities and toward detailed consideration of feasibility-assessed, investment-ready projects with Turkmenistan, Central Asian countries and other CIS members.
The objective, he said, should be to strengthen infrastructure, develop regional value chains and generate long-term economic benefits for participating countries, urging regional partners to turn economic dialogue into concrete projects and joint investments.