News Agency HARAKAT - 04 July 2010

16:40 - Tajikistan’s new type of pressure to Uzbekistan through Iran

According to official news of Uzbekistan, Iran’s Roads and Transport minister Hamid Bekhboniy met with Uzbekistan’s vice-premier, Minister of Finance Rustam Azimov.

Uzbekistan, taking into account that the larger part of its goods transported from the Persian Gulf go through Iran, asked Iran to lower the transport tariff rates.

Tajikistan news agencies underlined the other side of the meeting. According to them, the objectives of the Iranian guest were -- to pressure Uzbekistan government that creates obstacles for the railroad cars belonging to Tajikistan. It was said that Hamid Bekhboniy put an ultimatum in fact to Uzbekistan executives. That is, in case Uzbekistan will keep creating obstacles to Tajikistan goods passing through its territory, then Iran may do the same to the goods belonging to Uzbekistan on its way trough Iran.