TEHRAN- Iran is determined to develop ties with Turkey in banking and tourism sectors, said Iranian Communications and Information Technology Minister Mahmoud Vaezi in his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday.

Davutoglu, for his part, said that his country is keen to invest in Iran’s different sectors, including tourism, emphasizing that the administrations of both countries should direct their private sectors toward the realization of shared economic aims.

Vaezi left Tehran for Ankara to convene the 25th meeting of Iran-Turkey Joint Economic Committee, which is being held from April 7 to 9, the IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

During the meeting, Vaezi expressed hope that Iran-Turkey Joint Economic Committee would help remove the current obstacles in the way of Iran for exporting goods to Turkey.

The minister referred to the recent meeting of Davutoglu and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as opening a new chapter in Tehran-Ankara relations, adding that the two countries could set up joint ventures for manufacturing goods that are marketable in Iran, Turkey and other countries as well.

In his visit to Iran at the head of a 160-strong delegation on March 5, Davutoglu said, “The geography and economic structures of Iran and Turkey are like the pieces of a puzzle which complete each other.”

“Iran and Turkey are friends and neighbors; if they cooperate with each other, they can turn to the strongest regional countries,” he added.

“Both our countries must think about a win-win outcome in order to compete with the world economy,” Davutoglu said.

Turkey was the fourth largest exporter of goods to Iran in the past Iranian calendar year which ended on March 19, 2016; meanwhile, in its preceding year (March 2014-March 2015), Turkey was the 6th major importer of Iranian non-oil goods.

The two countries also maintain close energy ties. Turkey is one of the major customers of Iranian gas and imports 10 billion cubic meters of the product from Iran every year.  

SJ/MA