TEHRAN- Britain is ready to provide finance and transfer technology for the implementation of joint projects with Iran in a bid to have a sustainable cooperation with the Islamic Republic, British Minister of Trade and Investment Francis Maude stated.

Maude, who leads a visiting delegation of representatives from some renowned British companies, made the statement in a Saturday meeting with Mohsen Jalalpour, the chairman of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) in Tehran, according to the official website of the ICCIMA.

The British official said: “The companies accompanying me in this trip have conducted many noticeable energy and industrial projects in the region and have also cooperated with Iran. They are ready to expand ties with Iran in different financial, investment and trade areas.”

The British companies active in implementation of huge infrastructure projects such as building roads, railways and ports are ready to make investment and offer services for conducting such projects in Iran, he added.

These companies are waiting for the [Wes-led] sanctions to be lifted against Iran, so that they can find trade partners in the Islamic Republic for starting cooperating as soon as possible, the minister noted.

Jalalpour, for his part, mentioned energy sector as well as establishment of knowledge-based companies as some fields in them Iran and Britain can expand their economic ties and said dispatching specialized delegations and holding meetings between the Iranian and British sides can pave the way for strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

The world’s approach toward Iran has changed in a way that many European delegations have visited Iran recently and declared their readiness for economic cooperation with the country, he noted.

Britain was the 43rd leading importer of Iranian non-oil goods in the first half of this Iranian calendar year (March 21-Septemebr 22), according to Iran Customs Administration.

Iran exported $17.336 million of non-oil goods to Britain and imported $190.6 million of non-oil products from the country in the six-month period.

It is while Britain was the 35th major importer of Iran’s non-oil goods in the past Iranian calendar year (which ended on March 20), with importing and exporting $73.042 million and $615.906 million of non-oil products from and to Iran, respectively.

MA