Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan region (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran at the head of high-ranking trade delegation on Saturday evening, Fars reported.
On Wednesday, Representative of Iraq's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to Tehran Nazzem Dabbagh said Barzani would explore avenues for the development of trade relations with Iran during visit to the country.
Nechirvan Barzani will discuss new ways of bolstering mutual trade exchanges and pursue economic cooperation between the two sides, including accomplishment of border terminals, Dabbagh told FNA.
Dabbagh further voiced pleasure in the Kurdistan officials' visit to Iran, saying their trips have always been fruitful since trade obstacles are detected in these visits and the two sides find solutions to their problems.
Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan region have enjoyed growing ties ever since the overthrow of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, during the 2003 US invasion of the Muslim country.
A senior Iraqi Kurdish official announced in July that the value of the trade ties between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan region will exceed $4bln this year thanks to the two sides' growing cooperation.
"This year, the maximum value of our trade activities will exceed $4bln and such a boost is certainly the result of further cooperation," Representative of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Nazzem Dabbaq told FNA at the time, adding that the value of bilateral trade ties with Iran was $100 million in 2000.
He voiced Kurdistan's willingness to boost trade ties with Iran, and noted, "The present and the future of Iran and Kurdistan are tied to each other. They should always have continued contacts with each other."
Also in July, Deputy Head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Barham Salih was in Iran to explore avenues for the further development of the bilateral relations between the two sides.
During the five-day trip, Salih discussed consolidation of PUK relations with Iran as well as the role, importance and expansion of Iraq's ties with the Islamic Republic.