Rahimi: Easing Customs Formalities Help Expand Iran-Iraq Economic Co-op

Tehran, July 7, IRNA – First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said on Sunday that easing customs formalities help expand economic cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq. Rahimi made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Iraqi minister of Urban Development in Iraqi Kurdistan province Ahmad Abdullah Vazir. Rahimi said easing customs regulations is prerequisite to broaden economic cooperation between the two countries. There exist ample untapped capacities for economic cooperation in various fields, Rahimi said adding that Tehran is ready to expand cooperation and investment in Iraq. He said that religious and cultural commonalities along with political relations between the two countries have prepared the ground for resumption of new chapter of economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries. The Iranian and Iraqi officials should spare no efforts to make use of existing opportunities and potentials in line with national interest of both sides, he said. The Iraqi minister, for his part, referred to the bottlenecks in trade and customs requirements hindering trade cooperation and urged the Iranian and Iraqi officials to help remove the barriers to economic cooperation./end