Tehran, Iran, November 9
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
The Embassy of Finland in Tehran is encouraging Finnish businessmen to make direct contacts with Iranian businessmen in a bid to improve bilateral business ties, Finish Ambassador to Iran Harri Kämäräinen told Trend November 8.
Iran and Finland have already signed memoranda of understanding in very important areas, but they do not exclude other areas of cooperation, he said.
“During the past two years we have had a very active period. We have had high-level visits on the political level from Finland to Iran and from Iran to Finland. On the economic level also we have opened a new chapter in Finland-Iran relations,” the ambassador underlined.
“We have had more than 200 business companies from Finland visiting Iran. And we have signed a number of important MoUs how to increase cooperation. The first MoU was in the field of environment signed in February. And this is I think a very symbolic issue because environment is a burning issue not only for Iran, it is a burning issue for the whole world, including Finland.”
“We also signed a MoU in the field of healthcare in August. Then we have signed a MoU in the field of forests and natural resources, which is a very important field for Finland, because we are a country of forests and the green gold. And there is a lot of expertise to share how to take care of forests in a sustainable manner. Then we have MoUs in the fields of ICT, energy, and investment,” he added.
Trade turnover between Finland and Iran reduced in 2013 under international sanctions. Finland then ranked as Iran’s 14th trade partner.
Iran and Finland agreed to connect their railways through Azerbaijan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in October.
“We approved connecting the countries through the railways and we are going to connect Iran to Finland through Baku and Moscow,” Rouhani said during a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on a visit to Tehran, Oct. 26.