Tehran, Iran, September 24
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Within one year, Iran and Oman will be jointly producing a car named Dena and exporting it to Africa and Yemen, Iran’s Trade Attache in Oman Abbas Abdolkhani said.
He said the cars will be made in a free trade zone in Oman by the Iranian carmaker Iran-Khodro in a factory that is currently under construction, Mizan news agency reported September 24.
He went on to announce that Oman is building a big industrial zone in Iran’s Chabahar port city which aims the Iranian and Pakistani markets.
Oman is also building a trade center in Kerman province in central Iran, the official noted.
Iran-Oman trade has been on the rise in the past few years. Iran’s trade turnover with Oman stands at about $1 billion per year. Iran’s export to Oman during the first four months of the current Iranian fiscal year (since March 20) jumped by 161 percent year on year to reach $275 million.
Oman is one of the biggest importers of Iranian livestock. The trade hit $100 million last year. Oman also imports iron, steel and bitumen from Iran.
Oman acts mostly as a gateway for the import of Japan-made cars to Iran.
Omani government played a vital role in 2013 in bringing Iran and the US to the negotiation table over Iran’s nuclear program, which culminated in a landmark deal in 2015.