Naderi said fortunately there are good co-operations between Iran and Indonesia as the most important country of the Muslim world and Asia, expressing hope that these cooperation would increase day in day.

He went on to say that Iran’s Majlis is ready to boost the cooperation between the two countries in the fields of parliamentary diplomacy like friendship group and multilateral cooperation in the international parliamentary communities.

Naderi said Iran and Indonesia can have good consultations in the regional and international parliamentary bodies like in Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC).

Then Yuliantoro, for his part, said the ties between Tehran and Jakarta have always been very good and Jakarta had had good cooperation with Tehran in all fields, expressing hope during his stay in Tehran he could expand ties with Iran and everybody witnesses it.

He added IPU is one of the most important international parliamentary bodies whose meetings are held and Indonesia’s representatives have had active presence.

In mid-April, Iran’s Foreign Minister Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid a visit to Indonesia where  he discussed trade and economic issues with his Indonesian counterpart, the two countries said.

Zarif emphasized the importance of finalizing a preferential trade agreement in his talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

He expressed Iran’s readiness to continue negotiations, it said in a statement.

“Supporting the international law as well as exchanging views on the latest developments in the Afghanistan peace process were among other issues discussed in the meeting,” it said. The United States has said it will withdraw its last troops from Afghanistan in September.

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In this webinar, the most important capacities ahead of both countries especially in the fields of mining, industry, agriculture, and technical and engineering services were reviewed.

Addressing the webinar, the head of international affairs of ICCIMA Mr. Mohammad Reza Karbasi explained the most important economic capacities of Iran and Indonesia, saying that Indonesia is one of the biggest and most populous Islamic countries which has one of the biggest economies in East Asia and most of the active population of this country is busy in the agriculture sector and in the small and medium-sized enterprises.

He emphasized the significance of Indonesia in the ASEAN region and called the country a gateway for the arrival of Iranian goods to the countries of the ASEAN region, and emphasized multilateral cooperation with this country due to its strategic position in the continent.

Karbasi noted that talks with Indonesian officials bespeak the fact that Indonesians are very keen Iran to import palm oil from Indonesia, adding that in this regards a mechanism for launching a barter trade is on the agenda.

He went on to say that rice, cocoa, palm oil, and coconut are major opportunities for cooperation between both states in the agro sector, noting that Indonesia can be a good market for Iran’s export of its dates.

Karbasi also said both countries have grown considerably in the industry sector, and they can take important actions in the mine discovery especially that both countries are eager to expand bilateral ties and the governments of both states are strongly determined to develop the ties.

On the low trade volume between Iran and Indonesia, he said in some period of time their trade volume has hit $2b and in 2007 and 2008 their trade volume grew considerably and their direct trade volume was around $916m while in that time a considerable amount of their goods were traded via the Persian Gulf countries.

He then pointed to the bilateral agreements between both states, saying that both countries were to sign preferential agreements to ease their trade but until now nothing has happened, reiterating that signing and implementing the preferential agreements is important for developing trade ties.

Karbasi also stated that once there was a direct shipping line between the two countries which reduced considerably the cost of trade but currently this line is limited and economic activists are obliged to use the ports of other countries, and for this reason, the cost of trade has increased highly.

He also called for the launch of direct flights between Tehran and Jakarta as well as diversifying the exporting goods to Indonesia and claimed other solutions for improving the bilateral trade.

Then the head of Iran-Indonesia Joint Commercial Committee Mr. Yadollah Tahernejad, for his part, explained the opportunities for entering Indonesia’s market in different fields.

He pointed to some fields that the private sector of Iran can have an active presence in Indonesia.

In the webinar, the participants also reiterated that holding virtual exhibitions in the current condition can be a good solution for making the private sector of Indonesia with Iran’s capabilities in the technical and engineering sector.

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In the meeting and pointing to the fact that Indonesia is the biggest and most populous Muslim country in the world, Karbasi said the country enjoys good potentials for cooperation. He further said the growing economic relations in the past years indicate the strong determination of both nations for developing their economic cooperation.

He then said that the trade volume of Iran and Indonesia was over $2b in 2011 and despite several fields for cooperation, the trade volume of both states has sharply declined with the intensification of the U.S. unilateral sanctions, and the bilateral trade fell to $240m in 2019. He stated fortunately the trade volume has bounced back in the first three quarters of 2020 and has stood at $740m and this rise is an indication of the high capacities of both countries for cooperation.

Karbasi also explained that some part of the trade between both countries is done indirectly and via Singapore, Dubai, and Malaysia and these two countries should increase their capabilities for expanding their trade.

He also pointed to the necessity of signing a preferential tariff agreement (PTA) and said ICCIMA has referred its request in this regards to the Trade Promotion Organization and it has also handed over the list of goods that can be used in barter trade and now it is the duty of Indonesian Embassy and its commercial counselors as well as ICCIMA to encourage tradesmen of both countries for cooperation.

Referring to the condition of banking relation of Tehran and Jakarta, he said there are different channels for advancing the common goals that both sides can pick up the cooperation with using them, adding that one of those channels is barter trade for imports and exports with a mechanism accepted by both states. He noted that for such a barter trade, both sides can open a special account in the banks of both countries for imports and exports of the required goods and financial exchanges. Karbasi also reiterated that banks should ease trade for the private sector.

He further said both countries should encourage investors for investing in the suggested fields, adding that this type of investment is a win-win trade for both countries which makes the bilateral tradition last longer.

Karbasi also talked about Iran’s import of palm oil, saying that Malaysia is the major palm oil-exporting country to Iran which is done on the barter traded basis, adding that he suggests Indonesia use barter trade for boosting trade with Iran. He reiterated Indonesia exports palm oil to Iran and in return imports dates and this can be done on a barter trade basis. Karbasi further said Indonesia can take advantage of Iran’s capabilities in technical and engineering services, health, and also transportation.

Then First Secretary of the Indonesian Embassy Ms. Siti Asiyah, for his part, called for holding trade webinars and meeting in the current COVID-19 pandemic condition.  She then said there are several fields for bilateral cooperation between both countries and called for access to the information about Iran’s regulations regarding imports and exports.

She said one of the items for exports to Iran which has been studied by the Indonesian government is palm oil as Iran imports over one million tons of palm oil from Malaysia and other countries, and Jakarta Indonesia is keen to cooperate in this field.

Siti Asiyah also added that the field of health is of the other priorities of Indonesia for cooperation with Iran, adding that some talks have been held with Iranian tradesmen in the nanotechnology sector for joint cooperation for medical equipment.

He also said Indonesia is to hold an online trade conference on February 3, 2021, and the conference is a good opportunity for introducing the capabilities and products of Indonesia.

Then the Third Secretary Ms. Novatiara, for her part, pointed to the financial and banking problems, and raised the issue of forming a banking workgroup during the state talks, and called for being provided with more information for barter trade in the order they could be studied. She added that on cooperation in the field of palm oil, talks have started for launching a palm oil refining plant in Sirjan, Kerman Province, and the Indonesian government is interested in investing in this field in Iran.

Then Indonesian Commercial Attach Dimas Prasetyo Wibowo, for his part, pointed to the decline in the volume of bilateral trade, saying that Indonesia exported 37,000 tons of palm oil to Iran in 2020 and the Indonesian government seeks stability in trade and economic cooperation with Iran. He also announced the interest of Indonesian companies in cooperation with Iran and expressed hope the trade barriers would be lifted soon.

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