The Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture hosted a high-level business delegation from Uzbekistan on Wednesday, led by Davron Vakhabov, president of the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as both nations seek to expand economic cooperation.
Qadir Qiafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the Uzbek delegation and expressed optimism that recent positive developments in both countries could lead to enhanced collaboration in industrial, commercial, and technological sectors.
Highlighting Uzbekistan’s strong presence at the upcoming Iran Expo, Qiafeh said: “With 200 Uzbek companies participating, we will certainly organize a side event during Iran Expo to facilitate direct engagement between Iranian and Uzbek business representatives so they can identify potential partners.”
Vakhabov noted that trade ties between Iran and Uzbekistan have grown in recent years, though he stressed that the full potential of bilateral cooperation remains untapped.
“With stronger cooperation between our chambers of commerce and private sectors, and the resolution of trade barriers by our governments, we believe bilateral trade could reach $5 billion by 2028,” he said.
Vakhabov emphasized Uzbekistan’s strategic role as a hub for manufacturing and re-exporting finished goods to third countries, adding that raw materials from Iran could be vital to fueling this growth.
Mousa Aghaei, Chairman of the Iran-Uzbekistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, echoed the need to elevate bilateral trade volumes, saying current figures do not reflect the depth of historical, cultural, and economic ties between the two nations.
Aghaei also called on banks in both countries to draw on their experience and consult with traders to devise solutions for easing financial transactions. He noted that Uzbekistan's exports to Iran suffer from a lack of diversity and said the joint chamber is ready to help promote Uzbek capabilities in the Iranian market.
He concluded by urging Uzbekistan to ease its visa policy for Iranian nationals, stating that the ultimate goal should be full visa exemption.