Iran pursuing regional economic cohesion with CIS

Tehran, Iran, February 1 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Iran has been pursuing trade promotion with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries as a means to achieve economic cohesion with the area, Mohammad Reza Izadian, director of planning at Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization told Trend. Iran’s Import from the CIS for March 20-November 12, 2016 hit $1.5 billion, a 133 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. "We have been holding joint economic commissions with Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Armenia and we are also pursuing preferential trade with the Eurasia region," Izadian said. "One of the key topics which will help regional trade integration is the North-South corridor, through which we hope to see great development in export services," he added. Currently under construction, the North-South Transport Corridor will connect Iran and Russia via Azerbaijan, providing road access from Indian Ocean countries to Europe and Central Asia.