By Ayya Lmahamad

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran has increased by 30 percent in 2021, despite the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The remarks were made during the online meeting between Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev with Iran's Roads and Urban Development Minister Rostam Ghasemi, Day.az has reported.

During the meeting, the parties noted the successful cooperation in the transit-transport sphere, stressing that the volume of road transport between the two countries increased by 70 percent in 2021.

They underlined that the North-South international transport corridor remains a priority in terms of the development of trade and transit-transport links between the two countries.

The sides also expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran in various fields, particularly in the economy, trade, transport and transit, energy, industry, agriculture and other areas.

The historical significance of the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi that was held in Ashgabat on November 28 last year within the Economic Cooperation Organization summit was emphasized. The parties noted that this meeting marked the beginning of a new stage of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.

It was noted that 2022 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.

The issues of holding the next meeting of the commission as well as the ways of further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran in various fields were also discussed at the meeting.

After liberating its lands from Armenian occupation in the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over a 132-km section of the Azerbaijan-Iran border. The re-establishment of control over the state border opened up new prospects for deeper cooperation between the two countries.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran in 2021 was $440.8 million.