In a video conference between Head of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) Hamid Zadboom and Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime-Minister for Investments and Foreign Economic Affairs Kudratov Laziz Shavkatovich on Sunday, the two sides explored strategies to strengthen bilateral trade cooperation via swapping, announced the readiness of the parties to hold the 14th meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation in Tehran, and also discussed the exchange of the list of preferential trade agreements in the upcoming week.
Noting that under the coronavirus outbreak, Tehran-Tashkent mutual trade has witnessed a drop, Zadboom underlined the significance of making efforts to improve trade relations, to reduce barriers, and to use alternative routes (other than the Caspian Sea and Afghanistan) to reach Uzbekistan.
Besides the expansion of bilateral transportation ties, the two sides in this video conference accorded to form a Preferential Trade Joint Committee to initiate common negotiations to finalize mutual preferred trade agreement documents.
The two sides also agreed to follow up quadrilateral talks among Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and India in transportation sector.
They also voiced readiness to finalize and sign the documents of the joint trade committee as well as those of the e-TIR system between the customs of the two countries.
The Uzbek official, for his part, welcomed Iran's suggestion for launching a direct flight between Tehran and Tashkent by Iranian airliners to boost mutual tourism cooperation.
As reported, Iran-Uzbekistan mutual trade volume in the last Iranian calendar year 1398 (ended on March 20, 2020), witnessed a one-hundred-percent growth compared to its preceding year 1397.
On July 26, Iranian Vice President for Economic Affairs Mohammad Nahavandian said that given the serious resolve by the Iranian and Uzbek governments, bilateral relations have improved in various fields.
"Tehran and Tashkent enjoy a great historical asset and cultural and religious commonalities which can help strengthen mutual cooperation in various fields, especially in the field of economy," said Nahavandian during a videoconference with Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade Sardar Omar Zaqov.
"Tehran is ready to share its experiences with Tashkent in all fields," he added referring to Iranian experts' capabilities and experiences in the technical and engineering fields.
Stating that Iran is among the main partners of Uzbekistan, Omar Zaqov, for his part said, "We are determined to further develop the cooperation between the two countries in various fields, particularly in the fields of economy and trade, as well as to promote the cooperation in the transportation sector."
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