TEHRAN - A Tehran Chamber of Commerce delegation visiting China’s Khorgos region signed a memorandum of understanding with the Khorgos International Chamber of Commerce on Thursday to strengthen bilateral trade, the chamber said.

The agreement, signed by Mahmoud Najafi Arab, head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA), and Faming Ma, president of the Khorgos chamber, commits the two sides to exchange trade information and delegations, introduce business opportunities, and lay the groundwork for expanding commercial ties.

Najafi Arab told participants that China is Iran’s top trading partner, with significant flows in both imports and exports, and highlighted the historical depth of trade between the two nations dating back to the Silk Road.

He said Iranian industry relies heavily on Chinese raw materials, intermediate goods, and machinery, and called for faster joint action, urging Chinese counterparts to move beyond what he described as a cautious approach.

Referring to the 25-year strategic cooperation agreement between Tehran and Beijing, he said Iran’s private sector is tasked with putting the pact into practice, and that platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS can support this effort.

Najafi Arab added that Tehran Chamber is considering opening an office and a permanent showroom in Khorgos to showcase Iranian products, alongside plans to set up a private-sector export management company to ease trade logistics. He pointed to the potential of China’s 100-million-strong Muslim population as a promising market for Iranian halal goods, and said Iran also seeks Chinese investment in renewable energy and gas industries.

Khorgos deputy mayor Zantao Li welcomed the Iranian delegation, describing the region’s transport links, dry port facilities, and customs-free arrangements with Kazakhstan. He said the zone’s preferential trade policies, including five-year corporate tax exemptions for foreign investors and customs duty relief, provide strong incentives for Iranian companies.

Li voiced support for Tehran Chamber’s plan to open an office in Khorgos and expressed hope for increased Iranian exports of agricultural and mineral products to China, alongside higher shipments of Chinese goods to Iran.

EF/MA