Iran’s Ambassador to Minsk Saeid Yari met with Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich in Minsk on Wednesday and exchanged views on the latest situation of cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy, reported Fars News Agency.

Yari underscored the need for implementing the agreements previously inked between Iran and Belarus in the field of energy at the 14th Joint Economic Cooperation Commission.

Karankevich, for his part, pointed to the history of cooperation between Tehran and Mink in the field of energy as well as the activities of the Belarusian Bell Energo Company in Iran.

He also welcomed the development of cooperation in the fields of electricity and the gas industry.

Karankevich referred to the high potentials of the Iranian Company “MAPNA, Iran Power Plant Projects Management Company” with a bright record of activities in various countries, adding, “Belarus intends Iran’s MAPNA to cooperate for implementation of projects in the field of electricity industry in Belarus.”

Last week, Yari and officials from the country’s national airline, Belavia Airlines, discussed ways to establish direct flights between Tehran and Minsk.

During the meeting, Yari announced his readiness to negotiate the removal of existing obstacles, help establish a direct flight from Tehran to Minsk as a very important factor in developing people-to-people communications, tourism, cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides also stressed the need for preparatory actions by the two countries’ aviation and airport officials as soon as possible.

Belavia Airlines’ direct flights from Minsk to Tehran operated for eight years, from 2010 to 2018, but the flights were canceled as of 2018 due to some technical issues.

The meeting was held between Iran Ambassador to Belarus Saeid Yari and Belarusian Minister of Industry Pavel Utiupin in Minsk, Mehr News Agency reported.

Utopia is also the co-president of the two countries’ joint economic committee.

The two sides discussed the latest status of trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Belarus and conferred on making necessary arrangements to hold the 15th session of the joint committee.

Belarus is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) along with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia.

Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration Seyyed Rouhollah Latifi said in early March that exports to the EAEU countries in the first 11 months of the previous Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019-February 19, 2020) stood at $1.244 billion, indicating a growth of 105 percent, compared to the same period a year ago.