ECONOMIC IDEAL – Tehran, April 7, IRNA – Iranian Economy Minister during a joint meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, as well as the Minister of Planning underlined on further development of economic cooperation based on specific and operational plans.
‘The Islamic Republic's will to develop economic cooperation is serious and unrestricted, and we expect to have a diverse, broad, long-term cooperation as consolidated political relationship in this area,’ Farhad Dejpsand said.
He pointed to the meetings between the two countries' leaders, and said, ‘It is now time to reach agreement on the operational and transparent plans, with such a strong will to develop bilateral relations.’
According to Dejpsand, Tehran and Baghdad can cooperate in the field of civil engineering, in particular construction of roads, tourism, technical and engineering services, construction of dam, power plant, hospital and chain stores.
Pointing out that Iran and Iraq can operate in the services and trade sectors and insurance services by having deep and extensive cooperation between customs and central insurers, the high-ranking official stated that according to the volume of foreign trade between Iran and Iraq, this country has the second rank among the Islamic Republic's partners, and in order to develop economic and all-out relations, Tehran is ready for any kind of cooperation based on maintaining common interests.
The Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance added that Iran-Iraq trade is about eight billion euros, which is expected to double with the planned measures.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Fouad Mohammad Hussein, for his part, voiced his satisfaction with the discussions, and underlined that the delegation accompanying the Iraqi prime minister in a visit to Iran with the participation of nine ministers and a number of businessmen managed to resolve trade problems between the two countries.
‘This trip was to solve the trade problems and lift the economic barriers, including monetary, banking, customs and insurance,’ he added.
While recalling the eight billion euros volume of trade between Iran and Iraq, Fouad Mohammad Hussein expressed the hope to increase this volume in the coming and future years as Iran is considered by Iraq as a friendly and neighboring country.
According to IRNA, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi, at the head of a high-ranking delegation, traveled to Tehran on a two-day trip on Saturday, during which he met and conferred with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.
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