Younes Jaeleh, the Chairman of Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, a local chamber in northwestern Iran, on Sunday stressed the need for Italy to facilitate issuance of trade visas for Iranian businesspersons so as to give a boost to longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries.
Speaking during a meeting in Tabriz with Italian ambassador to Iran Giuseppe Perrone, Jaeleh said that auto parts producers in Tabriz have established good relations with Italian automakers in Turin while noting that Iranian food industries are also familiar with Italian machinery as well.
He underlined that establishment of good trade relations between every two countries require relations between their chambers of commerce.
Jaeleh regretted that Italy’s unsatisfactory banking services to Iran is hindering trade relations between the two countries.
“As far as we know, Italy needs Iran’s 80-million market,” the Chairman of Tabriz Chamber of Commerce said noting that further enhanced trade relations between Iran and Italy can be useful for both countries.
Noting that he believed the unilateral sanctions on Tehran will be lifted soon, Jaeleh said that Iran and Italy should stand ready so as to implement the agreements immediately after the removal of sanctions.
The Italian ambassador, for his part, said that Tabriz is the nearest Iranian city to Europe and Italy.
He noted that his country attaches special significance to trade relations with this Iranian industrial city.
Perrone said that Italy used to be a key trade partner of Iran before the imposition of sanctions on the country, adding that bilateral relations between the two countries have now been overshadowed by the effects of US unilateral sanctions.
He said that the Italian embassy is mulling the easing of visa issuance for Iranian traders and is ready to cooperate with Tabriz Chamber of Commerce in this regard.