TEHRAN- Trade volume between Iran and Ireland witnessed a sudden increase during the first three months of 2017, Iranian Ambassador to Ireland Javad Kachoueeian said in an interview with ILNA published on Friday.

“The two countries’ trade volume presently stands at €100 million per annum,” he said.

As he underlined, the mutual trade between Iran and Ireland should not be confined to trading goods since there are some other fields for cooperation including establishment of solar power plants, providing technical services for newly purchased airplanes, and tourism.

Ireland to invest on 2 solar farms in Iran

Ireland is experienced in renewable energy sector and two of its prominent companies are taking preparatory steps for building two solar farms in Iranian provinces of Qazvin and Alborz, he said, completion of which will create jobs for Iranian young workforce.

Tehran, Dublin can collaborate on tourism
As Kachoueeian informed, more than 9 million tourists visit Ireland every year and tourism can be a proper field for the two sides to cooperate on. Iran can benefit from the European country’s experiences in tourism, he said. A tourism conference is going to be held in Ireland some seven months later and Iranian officials are going to take part in the event, he added. This can be a good opportunity for the two sides to improve their tourism bonds.   

Ireland’ state min. to visit Iran in few weeks
A seminar, tilted as Trade with Iran, was held last week in Dublin to make Irish businessmen familiar with various cooperation areas with Iran such as information technology, healthcare, medical equipment, medicine, technology of foodstuff and agriculture, renewable energy, air industry, and etc., the Iranian ambassador said. Accordingly, an Irish trade delegation, to be led by Ireland’s Minister of State for Business Pat Breen is to pay a visit to Iran in few weeks, he added.

Some banking barriers hindering Iran-Ireland trade
As Kachoueeian described, there are no specific impediment on the way of boosting common trade ties in economic area and investments are expanding but there are some banking barriers which make the way to trade with Iran a little bumpy. 

Ireland to dispatch trade delegation to Iran
After the removal of sanctions, the ground is set for Ireland to boost economic and trade ties with Iran. Accordingly, some Irish trade delegations have traveled to Iran and some MOUs have been signed between the two countries. In near future, a trade and economic delegation comprised of managers and company owners, headed by the country’s employment minister, will visit Iran, the Iranian official said. 

HJ/MA