BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 11. Iran intends to increase exports to Russia through Azerbaijan, Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Hossein Kakhaki told Trend.
“With the participation of Iranian and Azerbaijani customs officials, a meeting was held in Jolfa city of the East Azerbaijan Province (north-western Iran) on May 10. During the meeting, talks were conducted on joint cooperation, including on preparations for the signing of a trilateral memorandum of understanding among Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia in the field of customs,” Kakhaki said.
The director general noted that the Iranian side has proposed protocols for the rapid export of its products to Russia. Iran and Russia have recently agreed to export fruits, vegetables and related products to Russia.
“At present, Iranian products are transited to Russia through Azerbaijan's Astara and Bilasuvar customs,” he added.
According to Kakhaki, this proposal is almost complete. It is hoped that a document on the proposal will be signed soon among officials of the three countries in Tehran.
The official also pointed out that at yesterday's meeting, a document on a 15-item work plan was approved, which will be implemented over a two-year period.
“The work plan includes a number of issues, including cooperation on mutual information exchange between Iranian and Azerbaijani customs, cooperation in the detection and prevention of drugs and psychotropic substances, full implementation of the pilot eTIR project between Iran and Azerbaijan, etc.,” the director general said.
Kakhaki also stressed that an agreement of understanding was signed between the two countries to resolve customs issues on the establishment of communication links between Azerbaijan’s East Zangazur economic region and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan.
On March 11, 2022, the 15th meeting of the State Commission on Cooperation in Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Spheres between Azerbaijan and Iran was held in Baku.
After the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing new communication links between the East Zangazur economic region and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through the territory of Iran, as well as, a number of documents have been signed between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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