BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
A number of discussions on Iran's permanent membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) have been launched, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, Trend reports citing the parliament’s website.
He made the remarks in Tehran after returning from a visit to Russia.
Ghalibaf noted that the first steps in connection with Iran's permanent membership to the EAEU will be taken within two weeks.
He added that the Eurasian Economic Union connects the countries of the region. Despite the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Iran's exports to Russia increased by 40 percent. At the same time, the establishment of a logistics, financial, and trade center is planned to simplify customs operations.
The speaker of the Iranian parliament noted that during his visit to Russia, certain discussions were held with Russian and Iranian businessmen to research the problems of trade turnover.
“Some discussions were also conducted related to investments, construction of power plants, especially, the Sirik Thermal Power Plant. If the power plant is built and put into operation fully, it will generate more than 1,000-megawatt hours of electricity,” he said.
As reported, the value of Iran's trade turnover with the EAEU member countries amounted to $3.42 billion over a year (from October 27, 2019, to October 27, 2020).
During the reporting period, Iran exported $1.09 billion worth of goods to EAEU member countries.
In addition, Iran's trade turnover with Russia amounted to 3.19 million tons worth about $1.13 billion during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 20 through December 20, 2020).
So, Iran exported 725,000 tons of goods worth $334 million to Russia as well as imported 2.46 million tons of goods worth $801 million from Russia within 9 months.
A temporary trade memorandum was signed between Iran and the EAEU on October 27, 2019. Following the memorandum, 862 kinds of products will be imported and exported upon preferential tariffs between the two sides.
Iran will export 502 kinds of products and import 360 kinds of products. Iran will export pistachios, kiwi, oil products, raisins, cucumbers, cabbages, dates, medicines, cement, copper, methanol.
Iran will import barley, animal feed, vegetable oil, cathode, etc.
The Sirik thermal power plant in the Hormozgan Province (southern Iran) will be built with the loans allocated by the Russian Federation to Iran. A total of 1.4 billion euros is to be spent on the construction of the TPP. Of this, 1.2 billion euros will be provided by Russia and the rest from the reserves of the Iranian government. The TPP will generate 1,400 megawatt-hours of electricity.