Rohani Helps Launch Iranian-Funded Power Plant In Tajikistan

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon (left) welcomes Iranian President Hassan Rohani in Dushanbe.

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has helped inaugurate a power generating unit at an Iranian-funded hydroelectric plant in Tajikistan.

Rohani and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon took part in a ceremony in which the second generating unit at the Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant was put on line.

The first unit at the plant in southern Tajikistan was launched in 2011 by Rahmon and Rohani's predecessor, Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

Tehran has invested some $180 million in the power station.

Rohani and Rahmon also held talks in the Central Asian nation's capital, Dushanbe, and presided over the signing of agreements cooperation on security, anti-drug effots, education and other issues.

Rohani will remain in Tajikistan for September 11 and 12 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

Iran has observer status in the SCO, whose members are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.