Materializing Iran-Iraq $20b Trade “Possible”
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce believes Iran and Iraq can touch the set target for boosting their trade volume to $20b and it is up to the foreign ministry to use its potentials for boosting trade.
Speaking to Tasnim News, Yahya Al-e Eshaq said that it is the skill and art of the foreign ministry in discovering how economic levers to be used for laying the ground for the political goals or vice versa.
He termed Iran’s relations with Iraq a strategic one, adding that if Iran and Iraq’s relations in the economic field are not very strategic, it is at least one of the priorities for short and long terms.
He added that the base for Iran-Iraq economic relation has been set for trade volume of $20b for next four years, and last year both countries increased their trade volume up to $12b but this year due to outbreak of coronavirus and sanctions may decline to $9b by the yearend.
Al-e Eshaq reiterated that materialization of $20b trade target with Iraq is possible, adding that the condition for touching the set target is that economy becomes one of the priorities of actors and decision-makers of the country in the economic and political fields and foreign ministry also decides to help for materialization of this goal.
Meanwhile Head of Iran-China joint Chamber of Commerce Majid-Reza Hariri said that although several times in the country’s diplomacy system some economic and trade departments have been shaped, for years the economic diplomacy has been missed in our country.
Majid Reza Hariri further said that economy is not the priority of our officials in the international affairs, adding that decision of the country, establishment and politicians is not, for any reason, to prioritize economy in the international affairs.
On the current trade condition of Iran and China, he said Iran and China’s relation unlike the public assumption in the society is not just limited to imports and currently China is the major destination for Iran’s non-oil exports.
On the problems and weaknesses of Iran exports, he said major part of Iran’s non-oil exports is related to the low price energy, adding that gas, condensate, petrochemical products and other energies account for 50 percent of Iran’s non-oil exports.
He reiterated that the government by itself is unable to be present in the international markets and therefore, the government and the people (private sector) should have more contribution in this regard.
