Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari said on Tuesday that transportation, customs and financial transactions are three main factors in Iran’s trade with Russia, noting that good measures have been taken in each one of these three factors.
He made the remarks addressing an Iran-Russia business forum which opened in Espinas Palace Hotel of Tehran earlier today.
Safari welcomed the Russian trade delegation to Tehran, and appreciated the efforts made by Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mine, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) for hosting the biggest business forum of the two countries in the past recent decades.
The deputy foreign minister, however, said that relations between Iran and Russia has not reached where it was expected to be.
“We are at a stage that we have to reach tangible results from the agreements,” Safari said.
Referring to launching green corridors for facilitating customs procedures with Azerbaijan and Russia, he said that transportation and customs problems have inflicted great losses to Iran. He however noted that these problems have been resolved.
Underlining the significance of trade and customs development, Safari said that “even if the contracts are signed between the two countries, we will reach a dead end when there is a problem with transportation and customs.”
The deputy foreign minister said that Iran has proposed what he called an “electronic sealing” of goods in transactions with Russia which refers to transit under TIR Convention. He added that Iran’s proposal has been welcomed by Russia.
Safari noted that the Central Bank of Iran has said that Iran’s trade relations with Russia will be financially resolved within the next four months.
A major Russian trade delegation, headed by President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Sergey Katyrin, arrived in Tehran on Monday.
Besides Tehran, the Russian 120-member delegation also has plans to visit other Iranian cities of Rasht, Anzali and Isfahan.
The Russian delegation will be comprised of businesspersons in different areas, including transportation, food, constructional materials, petrochemical and oil products, international arbitration, and so on.
The two countries plan to increase bilateral trade by nearly 10 times to $40 billion.