TEHRAN – Business delegations from Turkey’s Van province and Iranian industrial representatives held talks in Tehran on ways to remove trade barriers and expand bilateral industrial and commercial cooperation, officials said.

The meeting brought together members of a Van-based trade delegation, Iranian industrialists and the head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA)’s industry and mining committee.

Hervik Yarijanian, head of the committee, said the Iranian and Turkish economies are both on a path of growth and that closer links between private-sector players could boost trade, encourage joint investment and help both sides make better use of existing capacities.

He proposed exchanges of industrial experts and engineers, the removal of customs obstacles and a stronger role for Van as a transit hub for goods moving between the two countries.

Mehrdad Saadat Dehghan, head of the Iran–Turkey Joint Chamber of Commerce, said the two countries have nearly three decades of experience in cross-border trade but that the scale of exchanges has fallen short of expectations. He said broader cooperation, with the Tehran chamber playing a central role, could help unlock new opportunities.

Ali Sadri, vice head of the Tehran chamber’s industry and mining committee, said Tehran province is home to around 19,000 industrial and mining operators, including companies active in agro-processing, metals and non-metallic minerals. He said there is scope to connect Turkish traders and industrialists from Van with Iranian companies based in Tehran’s industrial zones.

Mehmet Tashan, head of the Van branch of the HAKSIAD industrialists and traders association, said businesses in the province, Turkey’s closest region to Iran, are keen to raise trade volumes with Iranian partners.

He stressed the need to address transport and connectivity challenges and said commercial ties could be expanded through HAKSIAD’s representation in Iran.

The meeting concluded with further exchanges of views between Iranian and Turkish businesspeople on potential areas of cooperation.

EF/MA