An interview given by the National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, to the Iranian TV channel IRIB has been published on the website of the State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH).

The National Leader gave the interview during a recent visit to Iran. The conversation focused on the memory of the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, as well as the prospects for Turkmen-Iranian relations.

– Esteemed National Leader of the Turkmen People, we are delighted to welcome you to Iranian soil! Your support and sympathy for the Iranian people during such a difficult time are of great importance to our nation and state, and the Iranian side is grateful to you for this.Iran and Turkmenistan are neighbors and fraternal states. Could you begin by sharing your recollections of your meetings with the late Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and discussing their significance?

– Thank you very much! Since time immemorial, the Turkmen people have cherished the bonds of friendship and brotherhood. Turkmenistan and Iran are neighboring fraternal countries that maintain good and respectful relations.

As you noted, the late Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei was an outstanding figure, recognized not only in his homeland but also far beyond its borders.

Our first meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei took place in the spring of 1998, during a visit to that fraternal country. At the time, I was serving as the Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, and that meeting made a deep impression on me.Twenty-eight years have passed since then. In 2001, I became Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers responsible for education, science, healthcare, and culture. And from 2007, for 15 years, I served my people and my homeland as the head of the Turkmen state.

In 2022, the people elected me National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan. Throughout my tenure in various state positions, I had the opportunity to meet with the Supreme Leader of Iran.

At every one of our meetings, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei invariably impressed me with his kindness and erudition; as a wise and insightful man, he offered much valuable advice.

The Turkmen and Iranian peoples share an age-old custom: honoring their elders and showing respect to the younger generation. That is why he always shared his thoughts on politics, trade and economic relations, and issues within the cultural and humanitarian sphere that bring peoples closer together.These meetings, held in the interests of two peoples who maintain strong, long-standing ties, yielded significant results.

The acquaintance and interaction with the Spiritual Leader have served only the well-being of our countries over the years.

– You have shared your recollections of the Spiritual Leader. Could you elaborate on the most striking moments that have stayed with you?

– All our meetings were memorable in their own way. Yet, every time we met, the Spiritual Leader—drawing on the wisdom that "on the Day of Judgment, a neighbor is a source of support"—would say: "To us, you are not merely neighbors, but blood brothers."

In my view, all our conversations were very important. Regarding politics, we frequently discussed peace and prosperity—not only for our two countries but also for the region and the entire world. As you know, Turkmenistan is the only state in the world whose neutral status has been recognized by the UN on three separate occasions. That is precisely why we often exchanged views on matters concerning the maintenance of peace and sustainable development.

He offered much valuable guidance regarding trade and economic relations. Among the Turkmen and Iranian peoples—and indeed within Islam as a whole—there is an understanding that if a person wishes to live a life of dignity, they must build roads and construct bridges.

In this context, it is worth noting that over the years, Turkmenistan and Iran have jointly constructed numerous roads, railways, and bridges. As the Supreme Leader said: "The very essence of this noble endeavor is to enable peoples to maintain contact with one another." In my view, this was one of the most profound and memorable moments of our interaction.

In today’s conversation, it is impossible to cover the full scope of this remarkable man’s life journey. He did an incredible amount for his people and their well-being. Indeed, the construction of bridges and roads serves to strengthen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood.

We have frequently exchanged views with the Spiritual Leader regarding trade and economic ties that date back centuries, as well as our shared historical and cultural roots. Naturally, we have also discussed the upbringing of the younger generation. In this spirit, we maintain connections with Iranian scholars, poets, and prose writers. An Institute of Manuscripts operates in Turkmenistan.In this context, we discussed the importance of studying our shared heritage—a matter of great significance to us. As you know, more than three million Turkmens currently reside in the Iranian province of Golestan. In light of this, the Supreme Leader and I have frequently exchanged views on how to further strengthen the friendship and brotherhood between our peoples.

Our world-renowned poet and thinker Magtymguly rests in Iran, and our people have the opportunity to make pilgrimages to his resting place. Together, we honor his memory and cherish his poetic legacy. There are many such examples.

As I have already mentioned, during my 15 years of leading Turkmenistan, numerous projects were implemented, including the laying of gas pipelines and power transmission lines, as well as the construction of railways and highways. During the period of our cooperation, annual trade turnover exceeded 5 billion USD, consistently showing growth of at least 115 to 150 percent each year.Iran shares borders with other states as well, but its longest border is with our country. The border between Turkmenistan and Iran extends for more than 1500 kilometers. The Spiritual Leader always emphasized: "Our border is a border of friendship and brotherhood." This speaks to what an outstanding figure he was.

– It is a great honor for us that the Turkmen people hold our Spiritual Leader in such high regard and cherish his memory.

– The Turkmen people have always held the Spiritual Leader in the deepest respect. His guidance and wise counsel were invaluable to us. At our meetings, we discussed literally every aspect of human life—from birth to old age.

Naturally, we also touched upon matters of religion. You know that Turkmenistan is a secular, democratic state; at the same time, however, we deeply revere our faith, our age-old traditions and spiritual values, and Islamic traditions in general.In this regard, the guidance of the Supreme Leader holds great significance, especially for the youth. Incidentally, the Embassy of Iran in Turkmenistan is located next to the Agricultural University.In this regard, the Spiritual Leader said: "Embassy staff speak of how well-mannered your students are: the young men wearing traditional skullcaps, and the young women with their hair in two braids.""This is the result of your commitment to your age-old traditions and customs, and to the path you have chosen." Of course, I wish to particularly emphasize that both our national culture and our spiritual, Muslim traditions play a tremendous role in this endeavor—the upbringing of the younger generation.

At our last meeting, the Spiritual Leader asked me, "Brother, are you building a mosque and a madrasa?" He then clarified his point: "A mosque is the House of Allah, but building a madrasa is an even more significant undertaking." He placed special emphasis on the fact that constructing a madrasa is a virtuous deed that opens the path to true spiritual wisdom.

At that time, he also said: "Brother, I hardly ever leave the house because of work. But once you finish building the mosque, I really want to visit it." All these moments serve as further confirmation of what a deeply thoughtful man he was, possessing an incredibly broad outlook.After all, combining political and economic activities with humanitarian, cultural, and religious endeavors is a monumental undertaking. As I have already mentioned, it is customary among us to honor our elders and show respect to the younger generation, and every meeting with the Spiritual Leader left an indelible mark on my soul. That is precisely why the Turkmen people hold him in such high regard.

– Here is a photograph from one of your meetings with the Spiritual Leader. What do you feel when looking at it?

– If I’m not mistaken, this photograph is from our last meeting. I was filled with joy at the time—over how fruitful our interaction had been, and how sincere our friendship and brotherhood were.

But each of us has our own earthly path, ordained by the Almighty.

We will offer prayers that the Almighty grant eternal peace to the soul of the Spiritual Leader of Iran and that Paradise become his abode.

As you know, a number of complex situations have recently been arising around the world. Well-considered steps are required to prevent such occurrences. What is your position—and that of the Turkmen people—on this matter, National Leader of the Turkmen People?

– As I mentioned earlier, there is a saying: "On Judgment Day, a neighbor is a source of support." To answer your question directly: in these difficult situations, we kept our borders open and sent humanitarian aid. We did not stand idly by. We pursue an "open-door" policy.Guided by the principles of balance, equality, well-being, and peace, Turkmenistan is a country that has had its status of neutrality recognized on three separate occasions. Consequently, both the head of your state and your people are undoubtedly well aware of the just, peace-loving policy we are pursuing today.

To sum up the answer to your question, I would like to point out the following: there are no winners in war. After all, a fired bullet does not choose its target—whether it is a child or a soldier makes no difference to it. That is precisely why, politically, the Turkmen people are making their position known everywhere.

– What would you say upon any future mention of the name of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the late Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei?

– I’ll answer in one phrase: his work continues.

– Esteemed National Leader of the Turkmen People, we are grateful to you for expressing your condolences to the Iranian people and sharing our grief at such a difficult time, as well as for your answers to the questions.

- Thank you!