Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is visiting Tajikistan to celebrate the festival of Nowruz from March 24 to 26 with Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and discuss expanding ties with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon . . . the visit comes two weeks after Iran’s foreign minister traveled to Tajikistan to discuss expanding foreign investment and Tehran’s nuclear program . . . Tehran is working to deepen ties with Tajikistan and Afghanistan as it prepares to begin talks about its nuclear talks next month with the US, UK, China, France, Germany, and Russia . . . Ahmadinejad is also looking to expand economic agreements to help offset tough American and European Union sanctions . . . Tajikistan is a good prospect for Iran because of its political isolation, poverty, and cultural ties.