Iran aims to increase trade with Azerbaijan
By Sara Rajabova
Iran's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen has said that Iran has the potential to expand its technical and engineering services to Azerbaijan, Trend news agency reported referring to IRNA.
During a meeting with Iranian and Azerbaijani traders in Baku on Thursday, Pak Ayeen said Iran could help Azerbaijan meet its need for construction materials for its development projects.
The Iranian ambassador said in an interview with Trend in November that establishing friendly, neighborly, political, economic and cultural relations at a high level with neighboring countries, especially with Azerbaijan, is the basis of Iran's foreign policy.
"The trade turnover between our countries is $500 million," he said. "If one estimates entry, departure and trade between the border areas of both countries, you can say that the volume of the trade turnover is close to 1 billion euros. Of course, this figure is unsatisfactory. We hope that it will increase due to the planned work."
The adviser on trade issues at the Iranian embassy in Baku, Farj Shahidi, said earlier in December that goods worth $384 million were exported from Iran to Azerbaijan over the first eight months of the current year (a year in Iran starts on March 21).
Shahidi said the export volume increased by over 18 percent compared to the same period of last year. He also expressed hope that the exports will rise to $600 million by the end of the year.
Cement, clinker, potatoes, petrochemicals, construction materials and food are mainly exported from Iran to Azerbaijan, Shahidi said.
He said that goods export from Azerbaijan to Iran amounted to $37 million during the mentioned period. The main exported commodities included steel, iron, wood, and other products.
Shahidi noted that the trade relations between Azerbaijan and Iran are continuously developing.
According to the deputy head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, Kioumars Fathollah Kermanshahi, the volume of Iran's non-oil exports is due to exceed $50 bln by the end of the current Iranian year.
He noted that the Iranian trade promotion organization supports non-petroleum exports, which play an essential role in the country's economic growth.
Iran's non-oil exports mainly include condensate, mineral fuels, chemical products, plastic products, fruits, nuts, carpets and fertilizers.