Eurasia new opportunity for Iran's foreign trade

BIRJAND. KAZINFORM - An official with Iran's Trade Development Organization said on Wednesday that conclusion of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on preferential tariffs with Eurasian states is a suitable opportunity for the country's foreign trade, IRNA reports.

Deputy head of the organization for developing export markets, Kamal Ardakani, told the meeting of the imports management, developing export, transportation, transit and customs commission of Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Handicrafts and Agriculture on Wednesday that Iran became a member of Eurasia Union on October 27, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

Noting that total trade of the five countries amounts to 900 billion dollars, he said that Iran's trade with the countries stands at two billion dollars.

The countries imports exceed 330 billion dollars, of which Iran's share is close to 600 million dollars, Ardakani said.

Studies indicate that Iran has the potential to export over $20 billion worth of goods to these countries, he said.

One of the demands of the tradesmen was to lower tariffs in peripheral markets, the official said, noting that tariffs for 502 items declined within the framework of memoranda of understanding (MoU) with Eurasian states.

Southern Khorasan's foreign trade has focused on Afghan market, he said, noting that the market is strategic for Iran, but Iranian businesspersons should be after diverse markets.

The Eurasian states have good capacities for doing away with mono-market state, he said.

Ardakani further noted that some 4,000 goods are exported from Iran and some 40 countries are target markets but the main focus is on 20 countries.

In addition to China and India, the markets are mainly neighbors of Iran, he said.