Istanbul (IRNA) -- IRI Economy Minister said Wednesday that International Business Forum (IBF), held here, November 22-26, was a good opportunity for boosting cooperation among Islamic countries' private sector firms.

Davud Danesh-Jafari who is in Istanbul to take part at the 10th IBF Congress, held on the sidelines of the 11th MUSIAD International Trade Fair, made the comment following his participation at a panel discussion among the ministers of the participating Islamic countries, aimed at creating more jobs in Islamic World. Speaking to IRNA, he said, "The topic of our panel discussion was 'Foreign Investments of Islamic Countries in One Another', and we would pursue discussions in that line during the next three days here."

The 10th IBF Congress was convened in Istanbul on November 22 in the presence of over 2,500 merchants and industrialists from 55 countries, including almost all Islamic countries.

meanwhile, Danesh-Jafari on Tuesday took part in the OIC's 22nd Economic Standing Committee (OICESC) held in Istanbul.

He held separate meetings with Turkey's Commerce and Customs Affairs Minister Kershad Tuzmen and Energy Minister Helmi Gullar on the sidelines of the congress.

The IBF Congress and its side exhibition are hosts to 435 foreign and Turkish companies, and are sponsored by the Association of Independent Turkish industrialists (MUSIAD) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Danesh-Jafari underlined the need to familiarize Islamic states with Iran's economic and trade potentials.

The Iranian minister arrived in the Turkish capital Tuesday to attend the 22nd session of the Standing Committee of the Commercial and Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) at the experts level which has just concluded.

The COMCEC begins its two-day ministerial session today with an inaugural speech by Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

Danesh-Jafari, speaking to an IRNA correspondent here, said that Iran's participation in the session will give it the opportunity to familiarize investors and businessmen of Islamic states of the trade and economic potentials of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He pointed out that new laws have been passed and policies implemented to facilitate foreign investment in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Promoting Iran's trade potentials to Muslim states and getting them to invest and participate in economic activities in Iran will lead to expansion of ties among Islamic countries, the minister noted.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as well as OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu are among key figures attending the COMCEC ministerial session.