Speaking at a joint session of introducing trade and investment opportunities in Iran and Bulgari, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Valiollah Afkhami Rad said “Iran has repeatedly declared willingness to cooperate with various countries in different economic sectors and we would welcome boosting of ties with Bulgaria though relations are currently at a very low level; Iran marks the safest country in the region; laws and regulations for protecting foreign investment have been well developed while the lifting of sanctions has offered even better conditions for investment.”
The official encouraged the Bulgarian side to view Iran as a hub for goods production and exports to neighboring countries; “we seek joint investment with Bulgaria since the two countries can safely manufacture products in Iran exporting them to bordering countries which offer a 400-million people market.”
“Iran has achieved high capabilities and self-sufficiency in various fields including engineering and technical services, electricity production, road construction, dam building among the others,” underlined Afkhami Rad voicing readiness to collaborate with Bulgarian counterparts in these fields.
Head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) pointed to Bulgaria’s geographical position commenting “Bulgaria can join Iran and China in the Silk Road revival project becoming the gateway of Asian products to Europe; the current trade turnover between the two sides is not proportional to existing capabilities as in the first 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year the volume has only recorded 50 million dollars of which 75 percent belongs to Iran’s export to Bulgaria.”
Afkhami Rad further suggested signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for preferential tariffs to cause an upturn in the trade between the two countries.
At the end of his remarks, Iranian deputy industry minister enumerated venues for reinvigorating ties between Iran and Bulgaria including facilitating visa issuance, unification of standards, customs and tax exemptions; exchange of trade delegations, holding of joint exhibitions as well as establishment of direct flights between Tehran and Sofia.”
Also at the meeting, Bulgarian Deputy Economy Minister Lyuben Petrov expressed hope that the session would lead strengthening of bilateral ties between Iran and Bulgaria calling for promotion of reciprocal trade for which Bulgaria will take advantage of its position in the European Union (EU) as well as in the Balkan Peninsula.”
“Although current relations do not match capacities of the two sides, the figures for the past ten years indicate a 10-fold growth in the trade between Iran and Bulgaria,” highlighted Petrov.
He emphasized that “Iran and Bulgaria have been traditional partners having had good relations while in the 1960s, Iran was one of the most important trade partners of Bulgaria with a trade turnover of one billion dollars.”
“I have travelled to Iran together with representatives of various aviation, energy, automaking and pharmaceutical sectors,” noted the official voicing hope that they will find good collaborators.
He went on to maintain “our country possesses appropriate human resources and necessary infrastructure for investment; accordingly, we invite Iranians to invest in Bulgaria; Easter countries have great interest in our country as it marks a bridge connecting the East with Europe.”
Bulgarian deputy economy minister further expressed hope that the Iranian side would welcome the presence of Bulgarian business and credit staff as well as that the next round of the joint session will be held in Bulgaria.”
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