First VP: Iran Resolved to Develop Economic, Trade Ties with Eurasia

Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri said that the Islamic Republic is determined to broaden its relations with the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU).

“We have signed an agreement with the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU) which can serve as a good start for the expansion of relations with the Union,” Jahangiri said in a meeting with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent.

He, meantime, pointed to Iran-Kyrgyzstan relations, and said, the two countries have good relations and that the cultural and historical commonalities of the two countries can pave the grounds for deepening of such cooperation.

In a separate meeting with Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, Jahangiri appreciated Uzbekistan for holding the 18th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

He also described transit and transportation as one of the grounds for joint cooperation, and said Iran is ready to maintain cooperation with Uzbekistan in this field.

Iran’s first vice-president also stressed development of banking, tourism, and people's interactions with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and said that Iran is ready to widen relations through facilitating visa process.

“Tehran is after setting up direct flight to Tashkent, and it is also ready to connect Kyrgyzstan to the world markets through the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman,” he added.

In a relevant development last week, Iran and the EAEU started implementing the agreement on preferential trade on 862 products.

“The mentioned agreement is an outset of doing free trade and business with Eurasia; preliminaries of free trade with Eurasian zone are provided one year after the implementation of this trade agreement,” Head of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) Hamid Zadboum told FNA.

The agreement consists of 862 products, 360 of which have been given by Iran to Eurasia and 502 others by Eurasia to Iran.

The current trade volume exchanges between Iran and EAEU stands at $2.6 billion.