IRAN PLANS TO BOOST TRADE WITH ARMENIA: AMBASSADOR
ARKA
Feb 19, 2010
YEREVAN, February 19, /ARKA/. Iranian ambassador to Armenia, Seyed Ali
Saghayan, said today his country intends to boost trade with Armenia.
Speaking at a news conference he said the global economic crisis had
slashed the trade between the two countries, but added that Iran and
Armenia are resolute to improve the situation.
He said the Iranian side appreciates highly a memorandum of
understanding signed after the recurrent meeting of Iranian-Armenian
intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation three weeks ago
in Yerevan. He said Armenian-Iranian economic cooperation embraces
several strategic projects, including construction of a railway and
the North-South Highway.
The ambassador spoke about of an international conference in Tehran
on trade and investment opportunities in Armenia, where Armenian and
Iranian officials spoke on the potential of the private sector to help
promote ties between the two countries. Speaking at the conference,
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Amir Mansour Borqe called on Iranian
and Armenian officials to explore every available avenue to increase
trade ties and exchanges between the two countries.
Armenian-Iranian trade last year contracted by 32.7% to $153.4
million. Armenian exports to Iran fell by 24% to $19.1 million. The
volume of imported Iranian goods dropped by 33% to $134.3 million.