Iran, Syria stress facilitating barter trade to boost economic ties

The meeting focused on facilitating barter trade between the two countries, supply of goods and products required by the two countries within the framework of the free trade agreement between the two sides, and using the capacities of the two countries' private sectors to develop trade cooperation.

As reported by the portal of the Transport Ministry, Eslami, who is the head of the two countries’ Joint Economic Committee, arrived in Damascus on Wednesday for a four-day visit during which he was scheduled to hold talks with senior Syrian officials including Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous.

Upon arrival, Eslami was welcomed by the Syrian Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammad Samer al-Khalil.

“Iran and Syria have put the development of bilateral cooperation on their agenda, especially in the field of construction and development projects,” Eslami said in Damascus.

Iran and Syria have been taking major steps for the expansion of their mutual trade ties. The two sides have exchanged numerous trade delegations in the past two years and Iranian private companies are investing in various fields of the Syrian economy like providing construction materials especially cement and working on several reconstruction projects.

Syria has repeatedly stressed that Iranian companies are the country’s top priority for implementing reconstruction projects.

Back in May, the chairman of Iran-Syria Joint Chamber of Commerce said that trade is rising between the two countries.

Keyvan Kashefi said that currently, Syria is moving towards reconstruction, and items in the fields of construction, bridge and dam building, electricity supply, and technical and engineering services are at the top of Iran's list of exports to this country.

Source: Tehran Times