Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 22
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Tajik Ambassador to Tehran Dulatali Hatamov and Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines Gholam-Hosseini Shafeyi held a meeting in Tehran on Jan. 22, Iranian ISNA News Agency reported.
During the meeting the two sides discussed possible ways to boost bilateral trade ties.
"The two countries need to reshape their bilateral trade ties," Shafeyi said, adding Tehran is ready to send some trade delegations to Tajikistan.
"Transportation problems at the Tajik border are the main obstacle to boosting the two countries' trade ties," he added.
"Iranian investors can carry out numerous projects in Tajikistan which will create job opportunities there," Shafeyi noted.
Hatamov, for his part, said that many countries want to invest in Tajikistan but the Tajik president believes Iran should be the first priority in this regard.
He further proposed to create a joint commerce council to facilitate the two countries' mutual investments.
In October 2012, Iran and Tajikistan signed a memorandum of understanding to expand relations between their free trade zones.
The MOU was signed on the sidelines of the exclusive exhibition on potentials of Iran's free zones, which was held in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.
The agreement would give a boost to economic, industrial and cultural ties between the two countries.
According to Tehran's ambassador to Dushanbe, Ali-Asghar Sherdoost, trade between Iran and Tajikistan exceeded $500 million in 2011.
According to Tajikistan's chamber of commerce, Iran-Tajikistan trade hit $250 million in 2012. The bilateral trade amounted to $229 million in the first nine months of the 2013.
Edited by C.N.