DUBAI, March 29. /TASS/. Military presence of third countries in the Caspian Region runs counter to the region’s interests, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said while visiting Turkmenistan.

During talks with Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, the top Iranian diplomat "criticized the actions of some third parties seeking a military presence in the Caspian Sea, stating that it goes against the interests of the region."

He also expressed Iran’s readiness to host the third economic conference of Caspian coastal countries (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan) at the level of prime ministers. The previous forum was hold in Moscow on October 5 and 6, 2022.

Prior to that, Amirabdollahian held talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov.

"We have agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy, transit, transport, science and technology. Trade turnover is growing and we expect it to snowball in the future," the top Iranian diplomat told reporters after the meeting.

He added that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will pay an official visit to Ashgabat soon.