TEHRAN - Masoud Khansari, the head of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA), and Belarusian Ambassador to Tehran Yury Lazarchik met on Monday to discuss potentials of the two counties for economic cooperation.

As reported by the portal of TCCIMA, the two sides stressed the need for a trade mechanism and strong banking cooperation as the basis for expansion of trade ties.

In the meeting, Lazarchik expressed Minsk Chamber of Commerce’s readiness for hosting a business forum between Iranian and Belarusian private sectors’ representatives.

“In spite of the U.S. sanctions imposed against Iran, Iran and Belarus can expand economic ties,” the official added.

He pointed to some of trade opportunities between the two countries including agricultural and food products, agricultural and industrial machinery, wood products, as well as dried fruits, saying that with exchanging trade delegations and holding meetings between the private sectors of the two countries, the two sides would be able to identify potential areas for cooperation.

Khansari for his part emphasized the lack of banking relations as the main reason for the unsatisfactory trade relations between the two countries.

“Iran is ready to establish banking relations with Belarus, and the Belarusian government should also provide the ground for this cooperation as soon as possible,” he said.

TCCIMA is preparing to dispatch a trade delegation to Minsk in the Iranian calendar month of Tir (June 22 – July 22), to explore avenues of mutual cooperation.

EF/MA