...

Iran's agriculture minister to visit Russia soon

Business Materials 6 October 2014 16:41 (UTC +04:00)
Iranian Agricultural Jihad Minister Mahmoud Hojjati will visit Russia in the near future.
Iran's agriculture minister to visit Russia soon

Tehran, Iran, Oct. 6
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:

Iranian Agricultural Jihad Minister Mahmoud Hojjati will visit Russia in the near future.

Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian said that the visit aims at discussing agricultural product's exports from Tehran to Moscow, Iran's IRNA news agency reported on October 6.

"Russia needs lots of fruits and meat, and Iran can enter this market," he said.

"A new chapter has been opened in Iranian-Russian relations and we have to take advantage of this opportunity," Jagarian added.

During an official visit to Tehran by a high-ranking Russian delegation, the country officially requested Iran to increase its agricultural exports to Moscow in order to meet the country's domestic demands.

Head of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce Assadollah Asgaroladi said on September 30 that the chamber is studying a plan to replace the national currencies of the two countries - rial and ruble - for their bilateral trades.

"A Russian bank is supposed to establish a branch in Tehran, transferring the money to businesspersons at the exchange rate of free market," he said, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.

"The bank will transfer the money in 3-5 days," he said.

Asgaroladi added that the Central Bank of Iran will announce its stance on the plan in two months.

"Bank Melli of Iran's branch in Moscow will also help transfer money between the two countries' businesspersons," he noted.

Tehran and Moscow plan to launch a joint bank in the near future.

Head of Tehran Chamber of Commerce Yahya Al-e Es'haq said on September 22 that bank would facilitate money transfers, Iran's ISNA News Agency reported.

"The Iranian and Russian businesspersons can use domestic LCs in the short term, until the joint bank starts its work," the official noted.

"The western sanctions imposed on Russia have created a great opportunity for Iranian goods to enter Russian market," he said.

"The Russians have informed us about the items they need to import," Al-e Es'haq explained.

Iran and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on September 9.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak signed the document at the end of the 11th meeting of Iran-Russia Joint Cooperation Commission.

The documents include bilateral cooperation in different fields such as industrial, mineral, trade, agricultural, tourism, technology, border issues, and energy.

The two sides also agreed to do their bank transactions by national currencies.

"Iran and Russia's trade value currently stands at 1.5 billion dollars but the figure will rise by ten times in the next two year," Zanganeh said.

Novak previously said that US-generated sanctions will not affect the two countries bilateral relations.

Russian energy minister said on September 10 that Moscow is ready to carry out 70 billion euros worth of projects in Iran.

"Russia can help Iran construct new railroads," he said expressing his country's willingness to take part in electrification project of the railroads, Iran's TASNIM News Agency Reported on September 10.

"Investing in Iran's oil and gas sector is interesting for Russian companies," Novak said.

He went on to note that the two countries' presidents will hold a meeting to discuss issues of mutual interest in near future.

"We seek to open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation," he concluded.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on September 6 that Iran sees no limits to expand economic ties with Russia.

"The two sides will explore ways to expand economic ties, particularly in agriculture, transportation, mining, energy, and technology transfer," the Shana news agency quoted Zanganeh as saying.

Latest

Latest