Addressing the Iran-Finland Business Seminar on Tuesday, Iran's Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said Iran seeks joint venture and balanced trade adding “we need to reach an acceptable trade level by balancing the export and import volumes between the two countries.”
“The rate of Iran’s import from Finland is far beyond its exports to the European country; therefore, by having joint ventures and joint production of products and services, Iranian products can be exported to the markets owned by Finland,” he added.
Nematzadeh noted that “the Islamic Republic of Iran has a domestic market of 80 million people and due to neighboring with 14 countries by land and the sea, has managed to create a market of 400 million people.”
Industry minister further enumerated possible areas for bilateral cooperation between Iranian and Finnish companies including oil, gas, mining, industry, tourism and other infrastructure activities.
Nematzadeh urged the governments on both sides to remove existing barriers providing suitable conditions for the activity of the private sector.
Emphasizing that Iran seeks long-term and strategic relations, the official said “we can better reach agreements by establishing specialized joint committees.”
“One-third of Iran’s GDP is achieved by the ministry of industry, mining and trade,” noted Nematzadeh adding “with regard to commercial and industrial policies, we look forward to attracting foreign investment and providing enthusiasm for industrialized countries in the field of joint collaboration.”
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland Lenita Toivakka, for her part, expressed hope for the complete removal of international sanctions against Iran and promised to exercise full efforts to implement joint venture programs to the benefit of Iranian and Finnish nations.
“We have travelled to Iran as part of a 100-people delegation which is interested in business development between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Finland,” she added.
Toivakka further asserted that “possible grounds for cooperation between the two sides include mobile phone industry, telecommunications, clean energy production, construction, infrastructure industries as well as bio-economy.”
“We need to consider economic opportunities and potentials of the two countries to mark the starting point for the development of trade relations between Iran and Finland,” she asserted.
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