Tehran, Iran, Oct.16
Trend:
An Iranian trade center will soon be opened in Basra, the head of the Iran-Iraq chamber of commerce told Trend.
"At the beginning of the liberation of Iraq, 70 percent of our trade relations with Iraq were with the Kurdistan region. However, in recent years this ratio has been reversed, so that the Iranian Trade Center will soon be opened in Basra,” said Hamid Hosseini, the Iranian secretary-general of the Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce.
“After the IS withdrawal from northern Iraq, due to the damage that the terrorist group had brought to this area, the wave of exports to Mosul, Sulaimaniyah and Erbil again increased, and today, about 120 trucks a day are passing through four border customs to this area which are mostly consisting of construction materials, tiles and glass,” Hosseini said.
“The region had six million displaced people, four million of which have returned, and are seeking to rebuild. Iranian businessmen can take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
"We hope the new Iraqi government will replace a technocratic government based on meritocracy and avoid corruption and bribery,” Hosseini said.
Referring to Iran`s share in Iraq`s market, Hosseini said that currently China has seized 35 percent, Turkey 23 percent, and Iran - 20 percent. He believes this year Iran will surpass Turkey.
“Turkey has invested heavily in the Iraqi market,” he said. “It has invested $ 6 billion to rebuild the northern Iraq. To change the course, Iranian companies and brands have to expand their physical presence in Kurdistan and southern Iraq.”