TEHRAN (Iran News) – Economies of Tehran, Belgrade “Complementary”. Chairman of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Mr. Gholam-Hossein Shafei in meeting with Ambassador of Serbia to Tehran Mr. Dragan Todorovic explored ways for improving the trade ties between the two countries.
In the meeting, Shafei pointed to the economic laws in Serbia and called them among the most advanced laws which have also been adopted based on the EU rules and for this reason Iran is determined seriously to expand ties with it.
He went on to say that analysts believe Serbia is a rising economy and the country has been successful in the field of economy and despite the past economic crisis, Serbian economy has found its way and moved ahead. He noted that since the past, Iran has had good ties with Serbia both in cultural and economic and political fields and this relation in the fields of handicrafts and tourism is very important.
Shafei also pointed to the revoke of visa and direct flights and said that the direct flight has faced problem and revoke of visa was canceled, reiterating that these two issues should be considered and restored.
He then pointed to diverse fields for cooperation and said Serbia has been successful in agro economy and exports of agro products and these two economies can be complementary. He went on to say that there is chance for cooperation in tourism, and by the way Iran has progressed very well in the mining sector and it can be a serious field for bilateral cooperation.
Shafei also referred to the regional capacities of the two countries and added countries around Iran and Serbia are good markets and Tehran and Belgrade can have serious presence in those markets and for this reason both states need to move towards joint cooperation and investments to meet the needs of their neighboring states.
He then pointed to the issue of the Iran-Serbia Joint Chamber of Commerce and said the ICCIMA supports this idea, and both sides can take advantage of the online grounds for preparation for the launch of the chamber. He reiterated that the chamber can help business activists of the two countries to know each other for future trade exchanges.
Meanwhile Serbian Ambassador Mr. Todorovic, for his part, said that during his stay in Iran he has visited Isfahan, Qazvin and Khuzestan Provinces and he has realized there are several common interests and the two countries should restore a good economic relation to enjoy those interests.
He added that it will improve the bilateral trade relations, both countries can form the joint chamber of commerce in order that their economics could work together. He reiterated that the political and economic relations of Tehran and Belgrade have been good since the past, adding that once there was direct flight between the two countries which was cancelled but both countries would work to restore it because it is very effective on the bilateral economic relation.
He emphasized that the launch of the joint chamber of commerce will help the economic activists of the two states to know the capacities of the two states for trade.
Meanwhile head of international affairs of ICCIMA Mr. Mohammad Reza Karbasi, for his part, pointed to Iran’s trade with most Eastern European countries and said Iran exports or imports goods to/from those countries based on the bartering and Serbia can expand its trade with Iran through bartering, reiterating that the trade volume of Tehran and Belgrade is not in an acceptable level and through bartering both countries can enhance the trade.
