Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: The Iranian administration has recommended the country's businessmen to start trade with the U.S., said Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture Chairman Gholamhossein Shafei.
Unofficial links will pave the way for launching the Iran-U.S. joint chamber of commerce, Iran's Mehr news agency quoted Shafei as saying on May 23.
The establishment of the Iran-U.S. joint chamber of commerce was proposed ten months ago, he said, adding that the administration suggested that private sectors of the two sides should boost bilateral relations as the first step.
The U.S. private sector is eager to do business with Iran, as European countries have been negotiating to re-enter the Iranian market, he said.
Meanwhile, Iran sees the U.S. as an important market, because Iranian traditional products are welcomed in the U.S., he noted.
Iran and the P5+1 group of countries are working on a final agreement over the Iranian nuclear program that has a deadline of June 30. A key point of the agreement will be the removal of a series of economic sanctions on Iran.
Several delegations from Europe and Asia have so far visited the country to study the potentials for investing in the country's market and more are expected in capital Tehran in the near future.
In April, a delegation of U.S. entrepreneurs, investors and consultants traveled to Iran to explore the post-sanctions Iran business potentials.
The Iran-U.S. trade totaled $154.312 million in the past Iranian fiscal year, which ended on March 20, according to the Iran Customs Administration.
Iran imported $154.117 million worth of products from the U.S. and exported $195,616 worth of goods to the U.S. in the past fiscal year