Economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran is being enriched with new areas. Energy, transit transport, development of cross-border infrastructure, and the export of engineering and technical services are among the main areas of economic relations between the two countries.

According to MEHR News Agency, during the nine months of the 2026 reporting period, the volume of non-oil trade between Turkmenistan and Iran approached 504 million dollars. The total volume of cargo in trade turnover reached 1.19 million tons. This figure indicates a 19.9 percent increase in the value of trade turnover compared to the corresponding period of last year. The parties also set a goal to bring the annual trade turnover between the two countries to 3 billion dollars in the long term. This goal was reflected in the decisions adopted during the 18th meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission held in Tehran.

Energy is the main area of cooperation In 2026, energy emerged as one of the most important areas of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Iran. Within the framework of concluded contracts, Iran is increasing electricity imports from Turkmenistan to meet the electricity demands of its northern provinces. Along with regional supplies, this volume is projected to reach 620–650 MW. In addition, relevant agencies are working on constructing the Turkmen section of the "Mary–Mashhad" power transmission line and involving Iranian specialized companies in power plant maintenance services. Furthermore, work continues to develop opportunities for supplying Turkmenistan's natural gas through Iran's territory to third countries via swap arrangements.

Transit opportunities are expanding The geographical location of Turkmenistan and Iran creates significant opportunities for transit and transport cooperation between the two countries. Iran offers one of the shortest routes for Turkmenistan to access the ports of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Turkmenistan, in turn, serves as one of the key transit and transport hubs for Iran, leading to the markets of Central Asia and China. In this regard, special attention is paid to utilizing the potential of the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway corridor more effectively and increasing the activity of the Inche-Burun border crossing in Golestan province. Preparatory work is also underway to establish a joint cross-border trade zone. This project is expected to attract new investments into cross-border warehouse and terminal infrastructure and further develop trade relations between the two countries.