Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25
By Temkin Jafarov, Umid Niayesh - Trend:
If Iran and Russia decide to use the two country's national currencies - rial and ruble - instead of the US dollar for bilateral trades Iran would not face any problems, Ebrahim Rahimpour, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Oceania said.
The two sides' mutual trade amount was not very high so far, so the two countries are at the beginning of a new period, Rahimpour told Trend Dec. 25.
There is no debt remaining from the past, so Iran will not suffer any looses if the sides start using national currencies and the fall of the ruble value will not have a negative effect on it, he said.
Russia and Iran are studying to use national currencies in bilateral food trade next year.
Earlier Assadollah Asgaroladi, head of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce said that if the two countries approve the plan, bilateral trade would boost significantly.
While commenting on Iran-Russia bilateral trade, Rahimpour said that the two sides will benefit boosting mutual economic and industrial ties considering the fact that the both parties are under sanctions imposed by the west.
The sides are determined on the issue, Rahimpour said, confirming that the taken steps are still slow.
Earlier Russia officially requested Iran to increase its agricultural products and food stuff exports to Moscow in order to meet the country's domestic demands during an official visit to Tehran by a high-ranking Russian delegation.
Iran's Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati said on Dec. 16 that preparations have been made for exporting dairy products and other food stuff to Russia.
Iran Customs administration reported that the country's exports to Russia surpassed $200.47 million, meanwhile Tehran imported $507.32 million worth of goods from Moscow during first eight months of current Iranian fiscal year (March 21-Nov. 22).
...