President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) says Iran and Uzbekistan have to give a boost to bilateral relations by taking more serious steps.
Samad Hassanzadeh made the remarks in an Iran-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Tashkent on Thursday.
He stressed the making use of the existing potentials can ensure long-term relations between the economic operators of the two countries.
The Iran Chamber of Commerce president, however, noted that further relations between Iran and Uzbekistan rests upon adjustment of trade tariffs, and preparing the necessary infrastructure in the areas of banking, customs and transportation.
“Our first objective is to increase the current (bilateral) $500 million trade to $1 billion,” Hassanzadeh said, expressing hope to achieve this goal by the yearend.
He complained that Uzbekistan’s tariffs on Iranian goods are higher than those imposed on other countries.
Referring to Iran’s special geographical position which he said provides every country with profitable trade through transit routes, he invited Uzbekistani businesspeople to invest in the North-South corridor and the development of Makran coast in southern Iran.
Chairman of Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce Vakhabov Davron, also addressed the forum, noting that the volume of trade between Iran and Uzbekistan witnessed 29% growth last year.
Noting that the Iranian products are 20 to 40 percent less costly than those provided by other nations, he highlighted the need for Iran and Uzbekistan to launch joint committees of commerce.