JERUSALEM, Israel – Eli Cohen, Israel’s foreign minister, met with dignitaries in Turkmenistan’s capital of Ashgabad Thursday, as Israel opened an embassy there less than 15 miles from the country’s border with Iran. Cohen tweeted Wednesday, “The relationship with Turkmenistan is of great security and political importance, and this visit will strengthen the position of the State of Israel in the region.”

Turkmenistan is a landlocked nation on the inland Caspian Sea, and shares a border with, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, as well as Iran. The Times of Israel noted Friday that Turkmenistan’s border with Iran runs for more than 700 miles, offering to Israel what it called, “an enticing possible means of entry into the Islamic Republic as it tries to stop Tehran’s nuclear program.”

Israel’s trade with Turkmenistan is only $8 million annually, but that is likely to rise with the embassy’s opening. Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov said his nation will consider opening an embassy in Israel. 

Turkemenistan has significant gas deposits and does a large volume of trade with China.

The Turkmen Foreign Minister Rasit Meredow joined Cohen for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the embassy, telling reporters, “We have a very good relationship with the State of Israel… We will do everything toward expanding and strengthening our relationship in different fields.” 

Cohen said his trip to Ashgabad was “aimed at promoting the friendly ties between Israel and Turkmenistan and deepening cooperation in fields such as agriculture, water management, economy and energy cooperation, border protection and regional security, cyber technology and education.”

The Turkmen population is just over 6 million and is more than 90 percent Muslim, although more people are adherents of Sunni Islam, rather than Shia, the predominant version of Islam in Iran.

The embassy in Ashgabad becomes Israel’s third in central Asia, joining Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

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