TEHRAN – Representatives of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) and the Secretariat of Free Zones High Council in a meeting on Thursday discussed ways of expanding mutual cooperation, the PMO portal reported.

During the meeting, the two sides stressed the need for the economic development of the country’s port areas and announced that they would sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in this regard in the near future.

In this specialized meeting, in addition to discussing and exchanging views on common issues between the two bodies, the duties of the Ports and Maritime Organization and the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Free Trade, Industrial and Special Economic Zones were outlined.

The meeting was attended by Jalil Eslami, the PMO deputy head for ports and economic affairs, as well as Ahmad Jamali, the deputy of the Secretariat of Free Zones High Council.

Speaking at the event, Eslami noted that free zones can have an impact on the prosperity of port areas because of their advantages, adding: “The approach of the Ports and Maritime Organization is that the function of the country's ports should not be limited to only unloading and loading of goods, while to use the hinterland of the ports for value-added activities in the production, industrial and service sectors.”

EF/MA