Iran, Lebanon discussing preferential trade agreement

mahla — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 11:27:56 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Director-General of Iranian Trade Promotion Organization (TPO)’s Office of Arabian and African Countries has said Iran and Lebanon are discussing a preferential trade agreement between the two countries.

“Since Iran and Lebanon have already announced their readiness to reduce trade tariffs, negotiations on the signing a preferential trade agreement between the two countries have begun, the initial lists have been exchanged and primary consensus has been reached,” Farzad Piltan told ILNA on Tuesday.

Lebanon is an important country in West Asia and the Arab world, which has very good trade relations with the world; Beirut and Tripoli ports are very active ports in the region, the official said.

Mentioning the history of trade between the two countries, Piltan said: “Iran’s trade with Lebanon stood at about $100 million over the past few years, which, of course, has been declining due to the sanctions and the pandemic.”

In the Iranian calendar year 1396 (ended on March 20, 2018), the trade between Iran and Lebanon reached $124 million, of which $86 million was related to Iran’s exports to this country and $38 million was imports from the country, he explained.

“The trade fell to $78 million in the fiscal year 1397 (ended on March 20, 2019), which included $66 million of exports and $12 million of imports. The two countries’ trade volume was $33.8 million in the previous year (ended on March 20), of which $21 million were exports and $12.8 million were imports,” Piltan added.

He further referred to the amount of trade between the two countries in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), saying: “In the first five months of the current year, we had about $20 million of trade with Lebanon, of which about $12.7 million were Iranian exports and $7.5 million were imports.”

According to the official, the trade between the two countries in the mentioned five months increased by 226 percent in terms of value and 677 percent in terms of weight compared to the previous year’s same period.

Iran’s main exports to the Arab country included iron or steel rods, floor coverings, glass, pistachios, textiles, tomato paste, active yeasts, polystyrene, animals, and electronic equipment, Piltan stated.

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Zarif in Beirut to Talk on Situation Following Explosion

reporter 1222 — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 06:13:42 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Beirut Thursday evening for talks with senior officials of Lebanon on the recent developments in the aftermath of the tragic massive blast in the Lebanese capital.

Zarif was welcomed at the airport by his Lebanese counterpart Charbel Wehbe, said a statement by Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

In addition, to review the present situation in Lebanon in separate meetings with senior officials of the country, Zarif is also to follow up the process of providing Iran’s humanitarian aid for the Lebanese in the wake of the mega explosion which defaced the coastline of Beirut, destroying hundreds of buildings, IRNA reported.

At least 171 people were dead and more than 6,000 others were injured by the massive blast which was caused by the detonation of more than 2,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse in the port city.

Dozens remain missing and some 300,000 have been made homeless by the fatal incident.

Zarif had earlier attended Lebanon’s Embassy in Tehran and signed a memorial book in the honor of the victims of the devastating blast.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani called on Iran to help solve the existing political crisis in Lebanon which mounted following the eruption of public protests in the Lebanese capital after the fatal explosion and has eventually led to the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Hasan Diab on Monday.

Given the present situation in Lebanon, President Macron invited Iran to take part in the international action group to solve the Lebanon crisis.

Welcoming the invitation, President Rouhani stressed the need to help Lebanese judiciary officials find those involved in the fatal incident.

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Iran, Lebanon discussing preferential trade agreement

Zarif in Beirut to Talk on Situation Following Explosion