DAMASCUS Iran's Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ali Abdolalizadeh arrived here Sunday evening.

The housing minister, who is also the Iranian cochair of the Tehran-Damascus Joint Economic Commission was welcomed by Syrian Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Muhammad al-Imadi.

During his two-day stay in Damascus, the Iranian minister along with Al-Imadi will cochair the 5th joint economic commission of the two countries.

The commission will discuss the grounds for further expansion of Tehran-Damascus cooperation in economic, commercial and industrial fields.

Elaborating on the outcome of the previous sessions of the joint economic commission, Abdolalizadeh told IRNA that implementation of past agreements has resulted in raising Iran's industrial and engineering service exports to Syria by four times.

The Iranian minister said that up to now agreements on building 10 silos and one cement plant in Syria have been finalized and the joint venture for building a steel mill in that country will also be on the agenda of the joint economic commission.

The 5th Tehran-Damascus Joint Economic Commission is to kick off in Damascus on Monday.