Iran and Oman will expand cooperation in building dams and water supply infrastructure, an Energy Ministry executive said Sunday.
"Omani officials expressed their willingness for increasing cooperation with Iran," Bahram Nezam-ol-Molki was quoted as saying by IRNA.
"Iran and Oman have good diplomatic relations but economic cooperation is scant. We want to change that. Bilateral trade is less than $1 billion per annum."
Iranian companies have approved expansion of activities in Oman's water projects. They are experienced in establishing dams and irrigation networks, as the country has had to deal with water shortages for years. Nezam-ol-Molki, who met with his Omani counterpart, said Iranian expertise in the field was demonstrated to the Omani delegation.
"As Oman also needs hydroelectric generation technology, Iranian companies will help Oman in their construction projects," he said. Iran's dam-building capacity was significantly strengthened during the 90s as the government sought to expand irrigation and rebuild the country after the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
Some 200 contracting companies, 70 consultant firms and 30 corporations as well as hundreds of hydroelectric manufacturing units have been established inside Iran ever since.
