Official Calls for Expansion of Mutual Cooperation between Iran, Turkey

Iranian Deputy Commerce Minister Hamid Safdel hailed the current bilateral ties between Iranian and Turkish private sectors, but still urged both sides to pave the way for the expansion of mutual cooperation in all arenas.

“Encouraging private sectors of Iran and Turkey can help the two countries overcome their problems in the area of money transfer in their transactions,” Safdel said.

“The visit by about two million Iranian tourists to Turkey is also a good sign of tourism cooperation between Iran and Turkey, but it cannot be said that in spite of this potential, the tourism between the two countries is assessed as quite satisfactory,” the Iranian official said while pointing to the establishment of 2,300 Iranian companies in Turkey.

The Iranian deputy minister pointed to the abundant historical and cultural commonalties between Iran and Turkey as well as the geographical proximity between the two countries, and said that, “These commonalties are advantages and the potentials should be used in the best possible manner in line with further growth and development of economic and trade relations between Iran and Turkey.”

Earlier this month, Iranian Ambassador to Ankara Alireza Bigdeli called for enhancement of mutual cooperation between Iran and Turkey, and said that he will do his best to promote the bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries during his diplomatic mission in Turkey.

Bigdeli made the remarks at a press conference after he arrived in Ankara to take over the post as Iran’s new envoy to Turkey from Bahman Hosseinpour.

“I am after identifying new chances to expand the relations between Iran and Turkey while utilizing the existing opportunities,” Bigdeli said.

Iran and Turkey have recently expanded their bilateral relations, especially in trade and energy fields. Trade between Turkey and Iran has risen sharply over the past decade.

Iran-Turkey trade value stood at $20 billion in 2012.

Also, Turkey was Iran’s fifth-largest oil customer in 2011, buying around 200,000 barrels per day, 30 percent of its total imports and more than 7 percent of Iran’s oil exports.

The two countries officials stressed the necessity for stronger relations and pursuing the planned increase of mutual trade to $30bln by 2015.