The private sectors of Iran and Syria have expressed eagerness to set up joint companies to boost cooperation on different energy, food, agricultural and techno-engineering areas.
President of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce Muhammad Abu Al-Hoda Al-Lahham visited Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) headquarters in Tehran on Saturday where he met with ICCIMA President Hossein Selahvarzi.
The meeting took place as part of a visit to Iran by Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous at the head of a high-profile delegation.
Speaking during the meeting, the ICCIMA president said that the low level of trade between Iran and Syria is due in part to failure to implement a free trade agreement between the two countries 13 years after the inking of the document.
Selahvarzi also attributed the low level of bilateral trade to the existing sanctions and the impossibility of banking transactions between Iran and Syria.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the agreements made earlier in the day by the governments of the two countries which he said would remove these two obstacles on the way of bilateral exchanges.
The Iran Chamber of Commerce president also urged the need for lifting the barriers on the way of transportation between the two friendly countries.
He said that the current level of trade between Iran and Syria is as low as $300 million which is not proportionate with the potentials of the two countries.
“We, in Iran Chamber of Commerce, are ready to do whatever possible to balance the level of bilateral trade with Syria,” Selahvarzi said.
He added that the two countries can set up joint companies to increase cooperation in the area of food, energy, constructional materials, techno-engineering services and mining.
Selahvarzi also believed that a trade volume of $1 billion is within the reach in the middle term.
In the meantime, the president of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce said that although Iran’s exports to Syria has increased over the past few months, Syria’s exports to Iran are insignificant.
Al-Lahham said that the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce seeks to further cooperate with Iran Chamber of Commerce to give a boost to trade exchanges with Iran.
He noted that the Syrian private sector will do its utmost to remove the obstacles on the way of trade with Tehran.