Tehran, Iran, November 5
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
Turkish Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci is in Tehran to seek venues for closer cooperation.
Leading a large economic and business delegation, Zeybekci was invited by Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, IRNA news agency reported November 5.
The Turkish official met Iran’s First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, who stressed improvement of cooperation in transport, tourism, banking, as well as economic activities in third countries.
Jahangiri also underlined previous economic agreements between Tehran and Ankara and called for their swift implementation.
Zeybekci, for his part, said Iran and Turkey should consider cooperation in industry, mining, agriculture, as well as iron and steel.
He is also slated to meet with ICT Minister Mahmud Vaezi, who also heads an Iranian-Turkish committee on economic cooperation, as well as Transport Minister Abbas Akhondi later the day.
Before departing for Iran, Zeybekci said his country attaches great importance to economic relations with Iran.
He stressed the need for implementation of the agreement on preferential trade between Tehran and Ankara.
He noted that the agreement on preferential trade between the two countries which was signed in January 2015 entailed discounts on customs tariffs on 125 items.
He said the agreement served to encourage more diversity in trade and economic exchanges in economic and trade relations between the two countries.
Trade turnover between Iran and Turkey stood at $5.4 billion during the first seven months of 2016.
The figure indicates a fall by 11 percent compared to same period of preceding year.