TEHRAN (Iran News) –   Tehran, Moscow Urged to Ease Trade for Their Businessmen . Head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) in meeting with members of chamber of commerce and some traders of Tver Province of Russia called for enhancing trade between the province and its counterparts in Iran by removing hurdles.

Addressing the meeting, Hamid Zadboum said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was the first official who felicitated Iranian president-elect Hojjatoleslam Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, adding that this indicates the beginning for a new era and more cooperation with Russia. He expressed hope that the private sectors of Iran and Russia make the most of this expansion of political relations of the two states.

Zadboum then pointed to his recent visit to Saint Petersburg and the interest of Russian traders for cooperation with their Iranian counterparts, and called for more talks and finding practical solutions for developing the joint relation and cooperation for removing the probable hurdles.

He also reiterated that the relation between the two countries through cooperation of provinces and chambers of commerce of the provinces is necessary and it was decided the both sides to exchange necessary information to develop their trade cooperation.

Then head of head of union of industry and commerce chambers of Tver Province of Russia Mr. Shurkov Vladislav, for his part, expressed his gratitude over the hospitality and coordination of Iranians, adding that the visit of Iran’s ambassador to Tver Province and his new ideas encouraged this delegation from Tver Province to visit Tehran and to attend in this biggest event of Eurasia Expo 2021 which was held in Tehran.

He also expressed his satisfaction for attending the Eurasia EXPO in Tehran and expressed hope that the achievements in the exhibition would boost the trade between the province and Iran.

Then Vladislav briefed the Iranian sides of the potentials of companies of Tver Province and called for removing all hurdles in way of expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile an expert on Russia’s affairs claimed yesterday that the trade volume between Iran and Russia is practically less than $2b while the amount of the signed agreement between the two countries is valued at over $25b.

Speaking to ILNA, Shoeib Bahman said that during the past years, one of the biggest challenges between Iran and Russia has been the expansion of trade relation because the trade volume between Iran and Russia has always been below $2b which is not a significant amount in the international trade.

He went on to say that for example, the trade volume between Turkey and Russia is over $30b while the two sides are planning to boost it to $100b and this is a determining factor in the political issues.

He then touched upon the reasons behind lack of growth in trade relation between Iran and Russia and said this issue has different reasons and one factor is that Iranians have not identified properly the capacities of Russian market, noting that unfortunately a notion has been shaped in the country that Russia has no capacity for exports that it is a wrong idea. Bahman further said that on the imports from Russia, this idea exists that Russian products are not good technologically and they are inferior comparing to their Western likes while if the technology of Russian products Russian is not better than the Western countries’, it is definitely not worse than them.

Bahman added that Iran and Russia have signed many agreements which are estimated to be valued at over $25b but practically, the trade volume between the two states is less than $2b.