Sunday 22 December 2024 - 15:16

Date: 30 September 2019 , 01:41

News ID: 6396

NEWS SERVICE: ECONOMY and TRADE

Syria welcomes Iranian investment in mining sector

Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA)'s Mining Committee said Syria welcomes Iranian private sector’s investment and contribution to the country’s mining projects.

Given the start of reconstruction in Syria, it will be a good opportunity for Iranian private sector to boost exports to the country, and Syria’s mining sector could also be of interest to Iranian investors,” Bahram Shakouri told ILNA.

Mentioning the recent visit of Syrian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resource Ali Suleiman Ghanem to Iran, Shakouri noted that “Ali Suleiman Ghanem's visit to Iran was aimed at boosting joint economic cooperation in the fields of oil, refining and mining and they had previously expressed interest in Iran’s entering the Syrian mining sector as well.”

Referring to the significant number of bauxite mines in Syria, he said, “Syria is eyeing Iran’s investment in the country’s bauxite mines.”

“Syria, of course, needs investment in both exploration and processing,” he added.

Last week, Ghanem traveled to Iran on invitation of Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh for visiting the country’s gas and petrochemical industries in the southwest port city of Assaluyeh and also to visit Iran’s 13th International Exhibition of Plastic, Rubber, Machinery and Equipment (IRAN PLAST 2019).

During his visit, the Syrian minister met with Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani at the place of Iran’s Industry Ministry.

In the meeting, Ghanem expressed satisfaction over expansion of cooperation between Iran and Syria and said that economic ties between the two countries should be expanded as the level of their political relations.

Referring to Syria’s mining capacities, the official said; “There are about 20 billion tons of mineral reserves in Syria and we are sure that in the framework of the bilateral cooperation we can rely on the Iranian technology and equipment for development of this sector.”

Rahmani, for his part, said, “Given the existing potentials in terms of minerals and mining industries we can have some vast cooperation in this sector.”

“We enjoy engineering capabilities and necessary equipment in mining sector and are ready to cooperate with Syria in any related field”, the minister added.

The official also attended a meeting of Iran-Syria Joint Economic Committee which was held at the place of ICCIMA.

In that meeting, Ghanem said that his country welcomes presence of Iranian companies in the Syrian projects, reiterating that Syria needs Iran as a real friend for its reconstruction.

source: Tehran Times