TEHRAN – Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam-Hossein Shafeie met with Head of Parliamentary Friendship Group of Georgia-Iran Shalva Kikenaveldezia on Sunday to discuss expansion of trade ties.

As reported by the ICCIMA portal, in the meeting the two sides stressed removing of barriers in the way of banking relations and also bartering trade as ways of boosting trade between the two countries.

In the meeting, Shafeie pointed to deep historical and cultural relations between the two counties, saying that development in Georgia’s economy and the country’s potentials for foreign investment provide a great opportunity for economic cooperation.

“Development of free economy in Georgia has been well underway in recent years and in terms of reforming the business environment Georgia is one of the successful countries in the region,” Shafeie said.

Underlining various areas for the two sides’ economic relations, Shafeie emphasized the importance of transit cooperation between the two countries in the region, noting that Iran can access Black Sea through Armenia and Georgia. 

“Connecting the Iranian railway network to Azerbaijan would also provide new opportunities for further cooperation between the two sides,” he added.

Further in the event, Kikenaveldezia for his part emphasized the development of Iran-Georgia economic relations despite the U.S. sanctions and restrictions, and called for the two governments’ support for their private sectors.

Criticizing the reduction in the trade turnover between Iran and Georgia in recent years, Kikenaveldezia called on the two sides to take necessary measures to boost the level of trade.

Kikenaveldezia visited Iran on top of a delegation to hold talks with senior Iranian officials and discuss expansion of all out ties with the Islamic country.

EF/MA