DUBAI -- Iranian Consul-General to Dubai Akbar Aminian, in a meeting with the Head of the Dubai Chamber of Trade and Industries, Abid Hamid al-Tayer, voiced Iran's interest in expanding economic and trade relations with United Arab Emirates, particularly with Dubai.

Al-Tayer highlighted Dubai's determination to continue reexports of goods to Iran and to boost imports from the country.

He recalled a recent visit by a delegation from the chamber to the Islamic Republic, stressing that the visit aimed at studying the various ways and means of promoting and expanding mutual trade.

Al-Tayer, who termed Iran as Dubai's biggest trade partner in the region, said that the UAE will hold annual, exclusive exhibitions in Tehran to boost mutual trade ties with the Islamic Republic.

He further pointed to Iran's significant position in the region, and stressed that the Islamic Republic is in a position to play an active role in enhancing trade between the country and the Central Asian states.

The volume of trade exchanges between Iran and Dubai last year reached more than U.S. $1.730 billion, IRNA reported.

Some U.S. $270 million of the figure was accounted for by imports, U.S. $45 million by exports, and the remaining U.S. $415 million by Dubai's reexport to Iran.

The Dubai Chamber of Trade and Industries, in a recent statement, announced that Iran accounted for some 26 percent of Dubai's total exports during the first three months of the current year, stressing that the Islamic Republic continues to be Dubai's leading trade partner.

According to the statement, the amount of Iranian exports and reexports from Dubai during the first three months of 2002 was about U.S. $728.4 million.