TEHRAN - Iraq seeks Iran’s participation in the implementation of its energy and development projects, Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi said.

Akhoundi paid a visit on Wednesday to Iraq and met with Iraqi Construction and Housing Minister Tariq al-Khikani and Iraqi Transport Minister Baqir Jabr al-Zubeidi, the IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

The Iranian minister also held a meeting with Iraqi President Fuad Masum and submitted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s official invitation letter to him for taking part in the third summit meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which will be held in Tehran in late November.

Iraq was the 2nd leading importer of Iranian non-oil goods in the previous Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, 2015, according to the Iran Customs Administration.    

Iran exported $6.182 billion of non-oil goods to Iraq and imported $60.369 million of non-oil goods from the country.   

In the first two months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-May 21, 2015), Iran exported $909.245 million of non-oil goods to Iraq and imported $5.707 million of non-oil goods from the country.   

In February, Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ali Tayyeb-Nia said Iran and Iraq seek to increase their bilateral trade from currently $12 billion to $20 billion.

He added that Iran has fertile grounds for trade cooperation with Iraq, particularly in the field of exporting technical and engineering services.

The official also pointed to the reconstruction projects currently underway in strife-torn Iraq and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate and provide technical and engineering services to this country, especially in the fields of construction of roads, power plants and dams.”