Chairman of Russian-Iranian Business Council Vladimir Obydenov believes that a $40 billion bilateral trade with Iran is within the reach.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Iran Chamber of Commerce newsroom on the sidelines of a visit to Iran by a major Russian delegation, Obydenov said that the volume of trade between Iran and Russia stood at $4 billion in 2021 while the two countries are eying to increase bilateral trade to $40 billion.
In order for the figure to be increased by ten-fold, he said that the two countries have to pay more attention to logistics and bilateral transportation.
The second point that have to be taken into consideration is the way Iran and Russia pay the costs, he said, underlining the need for both countries to trade with national currencies.
A 120-member Russian trade delegation, headed by President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Sergey Katyrin, visited Tehran in mid-November where an Iran-Russia business forum was held.
Addressing the business forum, President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei said that expansion of trade relations between Tehran and Moscow requires more enhanced banking relations and transportation means.
Noting that the visiting Russian delegation is the biggest Russian delegation to Iran over the past 20 years, he underlined the need for taking further steps to give a boost to bilateral trade and ease visa requirements in this regard.
A preferential trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union opened a new chapter in Iran’s trade relations with this bloc, Shafei said, adding that the two sides are also finalizing a free trade agreement which will lift major hurdles on the way of trade exchanges.