In a meeting between President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei and Belarusian Ambassador to Iran Dmitry Koltsov in Tehran on Monday, the Iranian side proposed ways to exercise barter trade while Iran is under unilateral US sanctions.
They also called for reviving the already made agreements and focusing on making new investments.
Speaking during the meeting, Iran Chamber president said that the geographical position of Belarus in the region can provide Iran with the chance to gain access to neighboring countries of the European country.
Shafei urged both countries to cooperate within an agreement between Iran and the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU).
Belarus along with Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia constitute the five EAEU member states.
Iran’s trade with member states of the Eurasian Economic Union stood at $1.6 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year (March 21-July 22), registering a 93% growth in terms of value year-on-year, according to a report by Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) early in August.
Belarus exported some $83.04 million worth of commodities from Iran during the mentioned period to be the fifth export destination for Iran among the bloc members.
Shafei noted that economic relations between Iran and Belarus are lagging behind political relations between the two countries underlining the need for planning of both sides to give a boost to economic exchanges.
He voiced readiness of Iran Chamber of Commerce to facilitate connections between Iranian and Belarusian traders.
The Belarusian ambassador, for his part, said that Iran-Belarus Joint Commission is due to convene in the near future. He expressed hope that the meeting will be held before the end of 2021.
Noting that the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade will chair the Iranian side in the commission meeting, he proposed that Iran Chamber of Commerce also sends a delegation to the meeting so that the two countries can organize B2B meetings between economic activists from both sides.
Koltsov provided information on three projects in which there is a possibility of joint cooperation between the two countries to the International Department of Iran Chamber of Commerce so that the necessary information can be provided and interested economic activists can announce their readiness to participate.