Dushanbe, 16 January: The Iranian bank Tijorat will open a branch in Khujand [the centre of Tajikistan's northern Soghd Region]. The press secretary of the Iranian embassy in Tajikistan, Alii Tusi [name transliterated], told Asia-Plus that the decision had been taken at a meeting last week between an Iranian delegation and the administration of Soghd Region and Khujand. The Iranian delegation, including a representative of the Iranian bank, was led by the deputy Iranian ambassador to Tajikistan, Mohammad-Reza Forqani. During the visit to Soghd, the Iranian diplomats visited higher educational establishments and Zafarobod District. The main aim of the visit was to reach agreements on expanding economic ties between Iranian investors and businessmen in Soghd.