Tehran, Iran, June 27
By A. Shirazi - Trend:
Iran and Uzbekistan have agreed to establish a joint investment committee in a bid to increase the volume of their trade transactions.
Mohammad Khazaei, the director of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran, and Minister of Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev held a meeting on Wednesday, during which both sides stressed the importance of closer ties between the two nations, IRNA news agency reported on June 27.
During the meeting, Khazaei proposed that a joint investment committee could be set up by the two countries, an idea which was well received by the Uzbek minister.
The Iranian official added that the committee could outline a road map for further cooperation between Tehran and Tashkent in forms of finance and investment.
Khazaei further said cooperating with regional countries, particularly Uzbekistan, is a top priority for the Iranian government.
Khodjaev, for his turn, said the two nations are resolved to enhance their economic cooperation, saying, “Currently, more than a hundred Iranian firms are active in Uzbekistan”.
Both countries can expand their ties in the areas of oil, construction materials, medicine, agricultural products and textile, he said.
Back in February, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov held talks on issues of mutual interest, including ways to boost relations between the two Asian countries in all spheres.
In the meeting held in Tehran on Feb. 11, Zarif and Kamilov also exchanged views about the latest regional and international developments.
The top diplomats also discussed signing an inclusive agreement that would boost the two countries’ cooperation in economic and trade areas, particularly in energy fields (oil, gas and petrochemicals), railway transportation, consular services and tourism.
The two sides further held talks on cheaper direct flights between Tehran and Tashkent to encourage closer ties between businessmen and tourists from both countries and to strengthen banking cooperation between the two countries.