Russian Far East Visa Waiver “Useless”

President of Iran-Russia Chamber of Commerce Asadollah Asgaroladi said Moscow’s visa waiver program for travelers to the Russian Far East is useless for Iranian traders, as they have no commercial interactions with that region.

“The Russian Far East encompasses the Siberia region. Iranian businesspeople are reluctant to engage in economic activity in that area. They have no commercial partners there. Moreover, the Siberian market is not familiar with Iranian products,” Asgaroladi was quoted as saying by Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture’s news portal.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced last week that a visa waiver program will be in effect for Iran and 17 other countries with the Russian Far East to spur tourism and investments in that region.

“Iranian economic players,” Asgaroladi said, “are commercially active in Russia’s southern cities, including Astrakhan, Saratov, Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Volgograd and Moscow.”