Iran expects its trade with Armenia to get new boost: Minister

YEREVAN, October 25. / ARKA /. Iran expects its trade with Armenia to grow, Iranian energy minister Majid Namju said today after a regular session of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation held in Yerevan October 23-25. The commission is chaired by Mr. Namju and Armenian energy and natural resources minister Armen Movsisyan.

"We can reach the level, which our leaders expect", he told reporters on Thursday after signing the MOU. According to him, sessions of the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental commission are important in the context of raising the level of cooperation and relations between the two countries. He also stressed that the parties must be consistent in the implementation of paragraphs set forth in the Memorandum.

On his side Mr. Movsisyan said the sides’ desire to deepen and strengthen their ties is getting stronger with each passing year. He said the sides reached concrete agreements in the field of petrochemicals, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, commerce, health, education, culture and tourism, as reflected in the Memorandum of Understanding.

"The agreements will be implemented in due timeline and create a new basis for further, more in-depth cooperation. Together, we will give further impetus to the implementation of joint projects,” he said.

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, the trade between Armenia and Iran in January-August 2012 amounted to $206.3 million, a 2% decrease from a year earlier. Armenian exports to Iran during the reporting period amounted to 62 million drams, a decrease of 21.6%, while imports increased by 16.8% to over $ 159.1 million drams. -0-