A major Iran-Russia Business Forum was held in the Iranian capital on Tuesday where officials and private sector figures from both countries stressed determination on both Tehran and Moscow for expansion of bilateral relations.
A 120-member trade delegation from Russia came to Tehran to attend the business forum which is the biggest Russian delegation that is visiting Iran in decades.
President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei was the first person to address the forum.
Shafei said that expansion of trade relations between Tehran and Moscow requires more enhanced banking relations and transportation means.
He said that Iran is reaching out to neighbors to realize a sustainable order based on supporting the development of regional countries and establishing mutual economic ties.
A preferential trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union opened a new chapter in Iran’s trade relations with this bloc, Shafei said, adding that the two sides are also finalizing a free trade agreement which will lift major hurdles on the way of trade exchanges.
Also speaking at the forum, Russian Ambassador to Iran Alexey Dedov said that the governments of both Iran and Russia support relations between the private sectors of the two countries.
He said that a number of other high-ranking Russian delegations in different areas are also scheduled to visit Iran by the yearend which will pave the way for further bilateral and multilateral relations between Tehran and Moscow.
Referring to an estimated $4 billion trade between Iran and Russia, the ambassador said that this volume of trade will not remain unchanged and is expected to grow.
In the meantime, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari said 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.
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.
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.
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President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Sergey Katyrin was another person to address the forum where he said that Iran and Russia have made the necessary planning for reaching a target $40 billion bilateral trade and economic activists from both sides are waiting for the execution of a free trade agreement.
He said that the visit to Tehran by this major delegation is an indication that expansion of ties with Iran is of special importance for Russia.
The Russian market is open to friendly countries such as Iran, he said, adding that Iranian companies can be a good alternative for some Western countries which have withdrawn from the Russian market.
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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.