Oman’s Ambassador to Tehran Ibrahim bin Ahmed Almuaini has stressed the need for finding solutions to financial and banking problems with Iran.
The ambassador made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday with President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Hossein Selahvarzi.
Speaking during the meeting, the Iranian side referred to a 40% rise in trade exchanges between the two countries over the last year, and said that although the figure is very significant, Iran Chamber of Commerce seeks to even increase the level of trade with Muscat.
Selahvarzi stressed that banking and transportation obstacles are the main problems hindering relations between the two neighboring countries.
He also underlined the need for both countries to focus on transit and re-export of commodities.
The Omani ambassador, for his part, said that bilateral exchanges between Iran and Oman stood at as low as $200 million some five years ago while the figure has now increased to over $2 billion.
Almuaini referred to easing visa requirements for Iranian nationals and the launch of two trade ports in Oman for facilitating trade with Iran, noting that his country seeks to find solutions to banking and monetary problems with Iran.
The ambassador said that Oman imposes 5% tariffs on Iranian goods while Iranian tariffs on Omani commodities reach as high as 30%.
He invited the president of Iran Chamber of Commerce to visit Oman. Selahvarzi welcomed the invitation and mutually invited his Omani counterpart to travel to Tehran simultaneous with a joint commission meeting of the two countries in the Iranian capital.