The seventh session of Iran-Qatar Commission for Economic Cooperation was held on Tuesday in the Iranian province of Isfahan where the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to expand ties in a host of fields.
Attending the event from the Qatari side were Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ali bin Ahmad Al-Kuwari (co-chairman of the commission); Mohammed ben Hamad Al-Hajri, ambassador of Qatar to Iran; and Chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khalifa Bin Jassim Al-Thani, IRNA reported.
On the Iranian side, Reza Ardakanian, energy minister (co-chairman of the commission); Gholamhossein Shafei, president of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture; officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, economy and industries, as well as representatives of Iran’s private sector took part in the one-day forum.
During the event, the two sides signed an MoU with the aim of expanding bilateral interactions in the fields of joint investments, commerce, electricity, water and sewage, gas, tourism, cultural heritage, handicrafts, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, higher education and scientific research, transportation, ports and railroads, telecommunications and subsea optical fiber cables maintenance and repair.
Other agreements were made for the two countries to dispatch economic attachés to their respective embassies, transfer know-how related to agronomy, animal husbandry and fisheries, expand environmental cooperation and found a joint taskforce for attracting Iranian workforce into the Qatari job market.
Ardakanian told ILNA on the sidelines of the forum that the joint commission was to be held last month, but due to restrictions set over the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, it had to be postponed and fewer officials and businesspeople took part in compliance with health protocols.
“We agreed to form technical committees and hold periodical meetings to increase collaborations in different fields. Iran has ample capacity in the field of technical and engineering services and Iranian experts can offer their expertise in the Qatari market, especially in the fields of energy, electricity, water and water purification systems,” he said.
The official noted that leaders of the two countries are eager to expand ties in all possible areas and given the hardship Iran and Qatar are experiencing after the spread of the pandemic and the heavy US economic sanctions imposed on Iran, growth in bilateral commercial and financial interactions between the two neighboring states becomes more necessary.
According to Qatar's daily newspaper The Peninsula, Kuwari praised the outcomes of the meeting, which will help increase the level of bilateral cooperation in all fields.
Ardakanian said the topics discussed and agreed upon reflect the commitment of both sides to enhancing cooperation between the two countries.
Economically Closer
Iran and Qatar have been forging stronger economic ties ever since a number of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia abruptly severed diplomatic relations with Doha in June 2017 and imposed a blockade on the Persian Gulf country, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups.
The Qatari government has rejected the allegation as baseless, blasting the blockade as unjustified and a violation of international law. Following the development, Iranian exporters have vied for the Qatari market in the absence of Doha's traditional Arab partners.
Qatar shares the world's largest natural gas field with Iran.
Qatar's Ambassador to Iran Ali bin Hamad al-Sulaiti thanked Tehran for its assistance to Doha one year after diplomatic and economic sanctions were imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran pioneered aid and humanitarian assistance to the Qatari government and tried to reduce the negative impacts of the siege on Qatari citizens. It opened its airspace to Qatari planes and rapidly sent foodstuff to make up for the abrupt cut in export of goods by the four countries. It also provided a passage for transferring goods by many countries to the Qatari government,” Sulaiti wrote in a memo.
Weeks after the United States imposed unilateral sanctions against Iran in 2018, Qatar Airways announced plans to expand operations in Iran.
Qatar Airways started a direct flight between Doha and Isfahan on Feb. 4, 2019. It is one of the top 10 airlines and capable of connecting Isfahans airport to 160 international destinations.
Isfahan's Shahid Beheshti Airport is the fourth Iranian airport hosting planes from the Qatari flagship airliner.
Qatar Airways' new route to Isfahan comes on top of the airline's other destinations in Iran, namely Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad.
“We are thrilled to announce Isfahan as Qatar Airways’ fourth-service gateway into Iran. Isfahan is a city that is not only steeped in history, but one that has also emerged in recent years to combine its rich cultural heritage with modernity, making it one of Iran’s most fascinating, colorful and lively places for international visitors. We are also delighted to announce that we are increasing our weekly services to both Shiraz and Tehran in January,” Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker has been quoted as saying.
“These latest launches are further evidence of Qatar Airways’ commitment to Iran, as well as the expansion of our network in this thriving market to provide greater connectivity to both business and leisure passengers alike,” he said.
