Iran, Russia strengthen economic, trade ties

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanai and Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Georgy Kalamanov, have explored the possibilities of expanding trade and economic cooperation between the two countries at a meeting in Moscow.

During a meeting, Sanai and Kalamanov discussed the expansion of comprehensive relations between Iranian and Russian companies in accordance with the roadmap, which focuses on the industrial and mining sectors, Iranian media reported.

The parties discussed issues of cooperation in the field of automotive, railway transport and aircraft manufacturing, as well as issues of a joint cooperation commission, which will be held in June.

After the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear agreement in 2018, cooperation between Iran and Russia has expanded.

Sanai said that the volume of trade between Iran and Russia has reached $500 million. He added that Tehran and Moscow are seeking to increase the volume of commercial exchanges.

In turn, Iranian ambassador noted that the current level of economic relations between Iran and Russia could be raised even higher, given the two countries' huge potential.

"Unfortunately, the previous round of sanctions had a negative impact on the economic ties between Iran and Russia to such an extent that our banking and trade ties were almost paralyzed," Sanai said.

He added that,however, the parties are currently making efforts to revive economic relations and believe that the new round of U.S. sanctions will not have a serious impact on two countries' relations. Sanai stressed that the Russians did not abandon any serious project in cooperation with Iran.

Sanai also noted that over the past five years, the presidents of Iran and Russia met and negotiated 16 times, while Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif visited Russia and held talks with country's officials more than 20 times during the same period.

The Russian-Iranian political dialogue is based on the coincidence or proximity of the two countries' positions on most global and regional issues, in particular, building a multipolar world order, strengthening the UN role in international affairs, countering new challenges and threats, Syrian and Iraqi settlement, and the situation in Afghanistan.

Russia believesthat interaction with Iran is an important condition for ensuring the national interests of the country, strengthening stability in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as in the Middle East.

Russia made a significant contribution to resolving the situation around the Iranian nuclear program.

In the structure of Russia's exports to Iran, the main share account for the food products and agricultural raw materials; metals and articles thereof; machinery, equipment and vehicles; wood and pulp and paper products; chemical industry products.

Russian imports comprise such groups of goods as foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials; metals and articles thereof; chemical industry products; mineral products; machinery, equipment and vehicles.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

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