Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Iran Fariddin Nasriyev has stressed the need for the formation of an Iran-Uzbekistan cooperation club.
The ambassador made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday with President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Samad Hassanzadeh.
Addressing the meeting, the Iran Chamber of Commerce president referred to the current $500 million volume of trade between Iran and Uzbekistan which he said is insignificant compared to the existing potentials.
Iran has unilaterally cancelled visa requirements for Uzbek nationals in a good-will gesture, Hassanzadeh said, calling on Uzbekistan’s government to reciprocate Iran’s measure so as to facilitate economic, social and tourism connections between the two countries.
Underlining the willingness of Iran’s private sector to make joint investments in Uzbekistan, he said that Iran possesses high potentials in pharmaceutical industry and produces medicines at world class.
He also referred to the active role of Iran-Uzbekistan Joint Chamber of commerce and called for forming a mirror chamber of commerce in Uzbekistan.
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The Uzbek ambassador, for his part, stressed the need for more efforts to increase the level of bilateral trade from the current $500 million to $1 billion.
Referring to an upcoming visit to Iran by an Uzbek delegation which will be headed by the country’s minister of energy, the ambassador said that his country is ready to cooperate with Iran Chamber of Commerce on logistics and transportation areas.
Ambassador Nasriyev also referred to Uzbekistan’s efforts to join the International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC), adding that his country seeks more increased activity in the Iranian ports of Chabahar and Bandar Abbas.
Noting that Uzbekistan imports an annual $500 million worth of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, he said that the country is willing to launch a production line of Iranian medicines.