Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Gholam Hossein Shafei, called for expansion of trade with Germany, saying that trade turnover with Germany, currently hovering at $6 billion, can be increased.
Speaking at the Iran-Germany trade conference held in Tehran on Sunday, he said,” For certain reasons Iran’s relations with Europe, and Germany in particular, was reduced to half, leaving both sides to sustain a loss.”
The German economic delegation is visiting Iran to explore possible avenues of trade and investment with Iran.
The delegation is reported to be comprised of 36 managing directors of large German companies, working on energy, oil and gas, industries, car manufacturing, information technology and dam construction.
He further said that Iran views Germany as an important trade partner, adding, “Germany’s market has traditionally been regarded as a major destination for Iranian grains and carpets.”
Referring to Iran’s economic significance in the region, he said, “Compared with Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Caucasus, Iran enjoys a special status; multilateral cooperation with Iran will enable Iran’s trading partners to make use of the regional market as well.”
“Development of small and diversified industries, the issue of energy, and development of transportation (especially railroad trails and connection to Central Asia and the open seas) are among the major areas of cooperation between the two countries,” he underlined.
As part of the visit, the German delegation held a meeting on Sunday with Iran’s Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade, Mohammadreza Nematzadeh.
“Germans should not wait for the sanctions to be lifted,” Nematzadeh said, urging the delegation “to make use of the existing opportunities to invest in Iran.”
Oli Projects, Direct Flights
Speaking at the conference, Iran’s Ambassador to Germany, Ali Majedi, said, “Negotiations have been held with a number of German oil drilling companies to take part in Iran’s oil projects.”
“Two direct flights are to be launched between Tehran and Berlin while another two will be established between Tehran and Düsseldorf. The German airline will also set up a direct flight between Düsseldorf, Germany’s business hub, and the holy city of Mashhad in the northeast of Iran,” the Ambassador further underlined.
Describing banking transaction as a major obstacle hampering the two countries’ ties, Majedi hoped that “obstacles will be removed soon”.
Joint Investment With IMIDRO
In the meantime, the head of the executive board at the Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation (IMIDRO), Mehdi Karbasian, said on Sunday that German companies and IMIDRO can make a joint investment in Iran.
“German companies’ investment will be welcomed as the government is determined to support foreign investment,” Karbasian continued.
Mehdi Karbasian, also the deputy minister of industry, mine, and trade, further said: “By cooperation between Iran, Germany and the US, the sanctions will be sooner or later lifted.”
Burkhard Dahmen, the head of the German delegation, said, “German businessmen appreciate the opportunities to make joint investment with their Iranian counterparts.”
