As the 60th Damascus International Fair kicks off in Syria, Iran has indicated it is determined to consolidate its place as the top foreign contributor at this year's event by sending 52 companies - higher than any other participating country.
Iran has sent many of its "major" companies to the Fair, according to Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, the director of Iran's Pavilion.
"Automobile industry, household appliances, food industries, construction material, agricultural services, animal husbandry and mining development industries are among the most important Iranian industries that have participated," said Khanzadeh, as quoted by Iran's IRNA news agency.
"We have tried to bring our most active companies as well as our best products."
The event was inaugurated on Thursday night and would close on September 15. Companies from 48 foreign countries as well as about 1,700 Syrian businesses have participated.
Russia - the next biggest participant - has sent 38 companies to the Fair, according to Sputnik.
The Damascus Fair is one of the region's largest and oldest international economic exhibitions. Held annually since 1954, it was halted from 2012 due to the war in Syria. It re-opened in 2017 after relative stability returned to the country.
As top participants, Iranian and Russian pavilions have occupied around 450 square meters each, dominating the event. Other top participants such as India and Iraq have been given 267 and 100 square-meter pavilions, relative to their number of participating companies.
The increased participation of Iranian businesses this year comes as Iranian economic investors seek to find economic opportunities in various fields of Syria, according to media reports.
Palestine, Belarus, Pakistan, Yemen, Indonesia, South Africa, China, Bulgaria, Czech, Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea (DPRK) are among other officially participating countries.
This is while countries such as Italy, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, UK, Netherlands, and Singapore have participated via individual agents and companies.