The two neighbors want to expand their relations and build a natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Iran, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday. Khamenei and the chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, met in person on Wednesday, according to a social media post by the ayatollah.

Relations between the two countries are a top priority and there are numerous opportunities for cooperation, Khamenei said. The state news agency of Turkmenistan confirmed that the leaders of both countries had agreed to several initiatives. The agreements include a plan for cooperation between the foreign ministries of both countries over the next two years, the Turkmen agency reported. The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between their Black Sea ports, according to the report.

What kind of country is Turkmenistan? Turkmenistan, a former Eastern bloc country, avoids alliances with major powers such as the United States, Russia and China, focusing instead on regional alliances, according to the U.S. State Department. Its largest export is natural gas and China is its largest customer. The country has had a dismal human rights record in recent years, according to the State Department. According to Amnesty International, Turkmenistan restricts the flow of information and freedom of expression.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine on how Iran is joining Russia and other countries in a new axis of evil following Moscow’s start of war in Ukraine.