BIRJAND, Dec. 21 (MNA) – Commercial counselor of the Austrian embassy in Iran has announced a 20% increase in trade turnover with Iran after sanctions relief.
Addressing a meeting of Iranian economic activists in South Khorasan Province, the Austrian official said “more than 60 per cent of GPD in Australia is devoted to exports.”
Pointing out that the economic section of Austrian embassies as well as the countries chambers of commerce are actively working in different countries, he asserted “in our Tehran office, we have about 10 employees and experts in connection with the exports, imports, knowledge-based companies as well as re-exports to Iran.”
The Austrian commercial attaché emphasized that Austria seeks to make a good trade partner for Iran in addition to making exports to the Asian country.
“Austria’s current trade over with Iran mounts up to 320 million dollars,” reported the official estimating that the figure will increase by 20 per cent after the lifting of sanctions against Iran.
He further expressed hope that the value will reach 500 million dollars after the complete removal of sanctions.
“At the moment, about 450 thousand manufacturing and export companies are active in Austria,” said the commercial attaché adding “majority of the units consist of small and medium companies working in various fields.”
He further enumerated the possible areas of cooperation with Iran including machinery, medicine and health as well as industrial services; “Austria is planning to hold important commercial events in Iran over the next six months and the South Khorasan firms will be notified as well.”
“An important delegation will soon travel to Tehran to deal with various areas including industry, tourism, education and machines,” said the Austrian official at the end of his remarks.
The vice-president of Birjand’s Chamber of Commerce, for his part, referred to the capacities and potentials of the province adding “saffron and barberry form the strategic products that can play a major role in development of ties with Austria.”
Amir Faramarzi deemed possession of well-known brands in the field of hand-woven carpet as another possible area of collaboration with Austria; “moreover, the region is considered a a major hub for the production of ceramic tiles in the East of Iran which indicate the province’s capacity in the industrial sector,” he concluded.
“Since Austria is the entry point to Europe, we need to create venues for bolstering and reinvigorating bilateral ties to the interest of the two sides,” Faramarzi concluded.
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