TEHRAN – Economic relations and trade exchange volume between Iran and Australia are not within the expected scope and ‘falsely engineered policies’ should not hinder the ties involving the two countries.

The regular and extraordinary general assembly meeting of Iran-Australia Joint Chamber of Commerce was witness to fundamental talks between Ambassador Gregory Moriarty and Alinaqi Khamushi, the head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Friday.

“I consider your country one of the most democratic ones in the world and a non-discriminatory policy toward noble nation of Iran requires transparent economic cooperation in all spheres,” Khamushi continued, adding that Iran, based on her Islamic beliefs, is in no way after atomic weapons. Moreover, the country’s foreign investment laws ensures international business ventures and being a member of Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) is a testimony to this fact, he maintained.

Ambassador Gregory Moriarty then took turn and commented that Australia’s NGP has been well above the average of OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) in the last decade and its strong economy is an example for the member countries to follow.

“Over one-third of our annual wheat and 60% of livestock exports head toward the Middle East and the region is a main supplier of Australia’s oil demand. This is very much indicative of the established ties between the two,” the ambassador stated, setting the export and import volume with Iran at $177m and $34m respectively in favor of Australia in 2005.

Nonetheless, he did not deny that Iran’s nuclear dossier has had some impact on his country’s policy toward Iran, while asserting that his respective government tries to present Aussie merchants with ‘a fair’ and precise picture of Iran’s economy.