Iran eyes rise in trade with Kazakhstan

An Iranian deputy foreign minister called for the expansion on non-oil trade exchanges between Iran and Kazakhstan, including via the export of technical and engineering services.

The Headquarters for the Coordination of Foreign Economic Relations of Iran held a meeting on the "obstacles and approaches of Iranian companies exporting technical and engineering services and a review of the latest economic ties with Kazakhstan".

According to Tasnim news agency, the meeting was chaired by Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mahdi Safari.

In the meeting, the Iranian diplomat described exporting technical and engineering services as a highly important move that have the potential to earn foreign currency for Iran.

Safari also noted that banking restrictions on issuing guarantees poses one of the most important hurdles to the export of technical and engineering services to neighboring countries and those beyond the region.

He stated that if the obstacle to the issuance of guarantees is removed, the pace of exporting technical and engineering services will increase, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

He noted that cooperation with Kazakhstan has many benefits for Iran, adding that it is necessary for all ministries to cooperate with the Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Economic Commission and pursue the matter so that the volume of non-oil trade exchanges between the two countries would reach the projected levels.

The other participants in the meeting also presented their views and explored ways to remove the obstacles to the export of technical and engineering services.

ME