Iran, Belarus on Track to Broaden Banking Coop.

In line with developing economic and political relations, Iran and Belarus are to expand their banking cooperation, it was announced in a meeting between First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri and Andrei Kobyakov, the prime minister of the East European state.

The officials met on Friday on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the news portal of the government reported.

Jahangiri called for improving Iran-Belarus banking relations, noting that even as the US is trying to dissuade international banks from working with Iran, the country has managed to reestablish ties.

Kobyakov said his country intends to expand trade and economic ties with Iran, stating that realizing such a goal would require improving cooperation between the banks of both countries.

“We will try to prepare the ground for the officials of the central banks of the two countries to meet and resolve the hurdles,” he added.

Jahangiri noted that Iran and Belarus have many potentials fields in which they can cooperate and expressed hope that they can eliminate current trade barriers in the 14th joint commission of the two countries.

The commission will convene in January 2018, which was also welcomed by the Belarusian official who said he is looking forward to developing bilateral relations.

The Iranian veep pointed to the fact that Belarus has purchased two oil shipments from Iran recently, saying Iran is ready to expand oil ties with the East European country and welcomes investments in its oilfields.

He also thanked the support Belarus lent to Iran in international affairs, stressing on boosting their political relations.

Kobyakov received this well and referred to Iran as “the most important partner of Belarus in the region”. He added that Minsk is willing to increase its trade and economic ties with Tehran to the highest level possible.

Noting that Belarus itself has been subject to sanctions from international powers in the past and therefore the two countries have an understanding in this regard, the premier said he hopes Iran-Belarus ties would go beyond what was witnessed before international sanctions were imposed on Iran.