TEHRAN, Iran, Dec.24
Trend:
Iran and Azerbaijan preferential trade agreement would develop trade and investment said Deputy Head of Trade and Promotion Organization for Export Market Development.
"Negation for signing preferential trade agreement between Iran and Azerbaijan has been started since past three months and there have been three meetings between two sides that discussed opinion over the content of the agreement," Mirhadi Seyedi told Trend in an interview.
The third round of negotiation between Iran and Azerbaijan for the signing of a preferential trade agreement held on Monday. The Trade and Promotion Organization is the trustee for a trade agreement, and responsible for Iran's negotiation.
"Most of the contents in the agreement have reached a final decision. The current negotiation is about the accession of appendices related to goods that are covered by the agreement. The two sides would decide over reducing current tariff rate for commodities," he said.
"This action could help the bilateral trade development and reduces some of the obstacles on tariffs and prepare the ground for trade development of two neighbors. Negotiations are currently not in the stage of choosing the commodities and it would be decided in the next round of negotiations. The two sides are progressing negotiations with positive opinion and try to reach the agreement which is admirable," Seyedi added.
According to him the next round of negotiations will continue online via webinar due to the ongoing global pandemic. Furthermore, he pointed out that the Trade and Promotion Organization is keen to prepare the ground for trade transactions between the two countries and investments.
"Trade is usually the first level of transactions between countries however experience shows the increase of trade transaction is dependent on the increase of cooperation in investment, joint production, and technology," Seyedi noted.
"The current agreement is related to trading commodity and does not cover trade and services, but practically when a trading commodity is accelerated and transaction increases it would prepare the ground for the increase of trade especially in services, investment, and joint production," he said.
"Iran and Azerbaijan's current trade ties are good and positive which is growing but there is a potential to increase the current trade volume," he added.