A private Iranian courier service firm, Tipax, signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatar Postal Services Company to help boost e-commerce ties between the two countries last week in Doha.
Tipax and Q-Post also agreed to share their resources for the establishment of a courier network between Iran and Qatar to help boost bilateral trade.
The value of trade between Iran and Qatar hit $275 million in the last fiscal year (March 2017-18), marking a 137% increase compared with the year before. Iran’s exports to the Persian Gulf state reached $248 million to register a 140% growth.
Earlier this month, Qatar’s ruler on Thursday personally thanked Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani for his country’s support during an almost year-long Arab crisis, which has seen the emirate cut adrift by neighboring former allies, AFP reported.
In a telephone conversation on May 17, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the Iranian president also discussed ways of “boosting” relations between the two countries, according to a statement from Qatar News Agency.
The emir “expressed his gratitude to the Iranian president for Iran’s stance towards the siege imposed on Qatar and its contribution to alleviate its economic impacts, particularly by opening its airspace and territorial waters”, said QNA.
Qatar was abruptly cut off by a group of Saudi Arabian-led countries last June, in part because of its warming relationship with Iran, Riyadh’s regional rival.
Ironically, however, one outcome of the lingering crisis appears to be closer ties between Qatar and Iran, which share the world’s largest gas field.
One sanction placed upon Qatar has seen its planes banned from using the airspace of boycotting countries, leaving the emirate reliant on Iran.
Commerce between the two countries is increasing.
Iran has even offered to help Qatar with facilities during the 2022 football World Cup, which will be hosted by the emirate.
It has offered its island of Kish to be used as a training camp during the tournament.
