Oman’s Sohar Port and Free Zone has resumed, based on new regulations, the registration of Iranian companies, which had been put on hold after the reimposition of US sanctions, Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture reported.
Companies offering products and services not included on the list of sanctions as well as their managing directors and shareholders are allowed to be registered in Sohar and conduct business in the fields of food, metals and logistics, as well as oil, gas and petrochemical infrastructures.
Marine transportation of non-sanctioned merchandise between Iranian and Omani ports, and the transfer of Iranian products from Sohar Port to other countries are authorized under the new regulations.
"Iran’s southeastern port of Chabahar will pair with Oman’s Sohar as sister ports in the near future," Alireza Jalalzaei, the head of Sistan-Baluchestan Cultural Heritage, Handcraft and Tourism Directorate, said in November.
The move would help improve cultural, economic and commercial ties between the two ports and eventually boost friendship and tourism between the two nations, Mana.ir quoted him as saying.
Sisterhood between towns, cities, counties, provinces, regions, states and even countries in geographically and politically diverse areas refers to a form of legal or social agreement to promote cultural and commercial ties. The modern concept of twinning, conceived after the Second World War in 1947, was intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures and between former foes as an act of peace and reconciliation and an initiative to encourage trade and tourism.
A new shipping route was launched between Iran’s Khorramshahr Port and Oman’s Sohar Port last year.
Chairman of Iran-Oman Chamber of Commerce Mohsen Zarrabi said at the time that the opening of two other shipping routes, namely Chabahar-Sohar and Bushehr-Sohar, was also on the agenda of the joint chamber.
"The Khorramshahr-Sohar route is expected to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion in the next four years," he added.
Sohar Port is a deep-sea port located in Sohar, the capital and largest city of Al Batinah North Governorate.
Non-oil trade between Iran and Oman during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Dec. 21, 2017) amounted to more than 1.33 million tons worth $393 million, registering a 24% rise in weight but a 12% fall in value.
“More than 700,000 tons of iron and steel worth close to $200 million were exported to Oman, which accounted for more than half of Iran’s non-oil exports to Oman over the period,” Iran’s commercial attaché to Oman, Abbas Abdolkhani, has been quoted as saying by IRNA.
Other commodities exported to Oman, according to Mehr News Agency, included tar, copper cathode, petrochemical products, food, fruit, vegetable and construction material.
Oman is Iran’s 11th biggest export destination.
Trade between the two countries rose from $148 million in the fiscal 2013-14 to $540 million in the fiscal 2016-17.
Iran exported its first wheat consignment of 29,630 tons to Oman in June.
