TEHRAN (Iran News) – Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture (ICCIMA) says Iran and Tajistan due to their commonalities as well as capacities should define and implement the preferential trade agreement (PTA) as it is what the private sectors should demand.
Speaking in a forum on trade and investment opportunities between Iran and Tajikistan which was held in Mashhad in the presence of a Tajik trade delegation, Gholam-Hossein Shafei said that one important thing that private sectors of Iran and Tajikistan should demand their governments seriously is to provide a ground for preferential trade agreement between the two states that it is supported by the commonalities and facilities of the two countries and their historic trade exchanges.
He emphasized that in the past years Tajikistan has been one of Iran’s important trade partners among its neighboring states but in some periods and due to some reasons the trade between the two countries has highly declined, although in recent one year and due to some developments and strong determination of governments, the economic exchange volume has significantly grown.
Shafei reiterated that the capacity for economic cooperation between the two states is more than what currently is and stipulated that presence of both states in two important economic blocs of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an open chapter for leap in the economic cooperation of these two states and therefore, officials of Iran and Tajikistan can move in direction of improving exchanges and developing ties considering this important capacity.
He then pointed to abundant water resources of Tajikistan and said that regarding water resources restrictions in Iran and agro potentials in Tajikistan, both countries can cooperate in extraterrestrial cultivation to meet their demands.
Shafei noted that such issues are talked and pursued with countries like Brazil and Venezuela while capacities in the neighboring country Tajikistan has been ignored.
He also pointed to the issue of transportation and role of this field in Iran-Tajikistan ties, adding that there are many unwanted hurdles in way of Iran’s exports to Tajikistan and sometimes problems in transportation have considerable impact on both countries’ trade ties and therefore the issue of transportation and the issue of providing required infrastructures in this field should be put on the agenda of both states.
He then thanked Iran-Tajikistan Joint Chamber of Commerce for accelerating implementation of MoU which was signed between presidents of both states for forming joint employers’ council.
Meanwhile Head of Tajikistan Chamber of Commerce Mr. Jamshid Jomeh Khanzadeh in a videoconference addressing the meeting pointed to the trade exchanges between Iran and Tajikistan and expressed hope that they can develop the level of cooperation with using all facilities and capacities of Iran and Tajikistan.
He noted that trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan is deep-rooted in the historical, cultural and lingual as well as brotherly ties of both states. He termed Iran as one of the most influential and advanced economic and industrial country, stipulating that several companies in Tajikistan have been set up with cooperation of Iranian economic activists and this shows the success and progress of Iran’s private sector in the sphere of international economic cooperation.
Jomeh Khanzadeh further emphasized that a good condition has been provided for investment in Tajikistan, noting that with the adopted policies in the county for boosting economic development, a good climate has been provided for investment and invited his Iranian brothers to take advantage of the current condition for effective presence in Tajikistan’s economic scene.
Meanwhile in the meeting Iran’s ambassador to Tajikistan Mr. Mohammad Taghi Saberi, for his part, said that Iran has asked for revoking visa between the two countries and Tajiks are studying Iran’s proposal and he hopes it would bear fruit.
Taghi Saberi who was talking online said that in new round of ties between Iran and Tajikistan, some good actions have been taken to deepen cooperation between the two states especially in the field of economy.
He went on to say that the trade volume between the two states has improved since 2019 but the capacity for economic cooperation between the two states is more than the current level. He also pointed to the launch of direct flight between Tehran and Dushanbe and said that these flights are considered as good capacity and expressed hope the number of flights would rise.
