Iranian envoy calls for better trade ties with Turkey

By Dilara Zengin

ANKARA (AA) - Iran continues to seek better trade relations with Turkey despite regional turmoil, Iranian Ambassador to Turkey Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian Fard said on Wednesday.

Addressing a meeting in Ankara to discuss Turkey-Iran investment, trade and cooperation opportunities, Fard said Iran remains “keen to develop relations with its neighbor and brotherly country Turkey.”

He said the leadership of both countries also want to develop bilateral trade ties further.

"Also, strengthening of economic prosperity among Muslims and development of trade ties among Islamic countries are very important. In this respect, Iran and Turkey have significant roles to play as neighboring countries. We should help to increase the wealth of people," he said.

Gursel Baran, chairman of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce that organized the meeting, also called for boosting economic ties between Turkey and Iran.

Bilateral trade slowed down when Iran was put under international sanctions.

Following two years of nuclear negotiations, Iran reached a comprehensive nuclear deal with the world's P5+1 powers; U.K., China, France, Russia, the U.S. and Germany in Vienna on July 14, 2015. The deal had allowed the lifting of international sanctions on Iran in exchange for greater oversight of the country’s nuclear program.

Baran said Turkey's export to Iran stood at $4.3 billion while the country's import from Iran totaled $3.7 billion in 2016. He said the aim should now be to increase the bilateral trade volume to $30 billion.

"The potential between Iran and Turkey is quite high. Intense work is required to uncover this potential. A great transition is being experienced in the Iranian economy with the lifting of economic embargoes on Jan. 16, 2016. I think that as businessmen, we should make use of new business opportunities that are arising," he added.