Iran, Azerbaijan to expand cooperation in radio, TV technologies

/AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

Iran expresses readiness to cooperate with Azerbaijan in the sphere of TV and radio technologies, and production of the digital TV and radio transmitters, Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Ezzatollah Zarghami said.

Zarghami, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, made the remarks at a press conference on October 14.

He said the production of low and high frequency TV and radio transmitters has developed in Iran.

"A group of specialists from Iran will soon visit Azerbaijan to install digital TV transmitters here. The two countries' cooperation in this area will continue, if the Azerbaijani side is satisfied with the quality of the Iranian-made products," he added.

Zarghami said, Azerbaijan and Iran will sign an agenda to create a joint media commission.

"Under the agenda, preparatory works will be carried out to sign an all-around document to create a joint media commission," he added.

Moreover, Iran will soon open a 24-hour Azerbaijani-language TV channel, Zarghami said.

The TV channel, which is to be aired in Azerbaijani, will broadcast television series, cartoons, and documentaries produced in Azerbaijan.

Zarghami added that the TV channel will mainly cover the cooperation and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Iran.

He said the TV channel will serve to strengthen cultural relations, and to promote the Azerbaijani language among Iran's Azerbaijani population.

Iran intends to utilize the capabilities of Azerbaijan's Azerspace-1 satellite, Zarghami said adding that negotiations were carried out on the issue during his visit.

"Iran intends to air 12 TV and radio networks via one transponder of the Azerspace-1," he said.

The IRIB head added that an agreement was reached on creation of a joint broadcasting commission during his visit to Azerbaijan.

Earlier, Azerbaijan and Iran have agreed on all outstanding issues of frequency resources regulation in the border territories during the visit of an Azerbaijani delegation to Tehran in June.

The document on cooperation between the two countries in the field of postal services is expected to be signed by late 2014.

The sides will enhance cooperation in the field of data transmission services and in particular will increase the amount of voice and Internet traffic.

Cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies will open the Iranian ICT market to Azerbaijani companies. Meanwhile, the Iranian companies will gain access to the Azerbaijani market.