TEHRAN – The Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa announced here on Sunday that Iran and Ecuador have agreed on boosting cooperation in different economic fields.

Talking to reporters after taking part in the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines session, the official said that the two countries are going to open embassies in the each others capitals.
“We invite Iranian investors to participate in development projects in Ecuador, particularly in fields such as tourism, transportation, mining, agriculture, wood processing, and high-tech industries,” Correa said.
Ecuador is in need of cement to implement infrastructural projects and Iran has expressed readiness to construct a cement factory in Ecuador, he noted.
---- Customs cooperation to be expanded
The director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) held a meeting with his Ecuadoran counterpart here on Sunday, voicing IRICA’s eagerness to promote customs ties with the Ecuadoran side.
Ardeshir Mohammadi expounded on Iran’s customs situation including the implementation of plans to mechanize customs operations as well as applying modern systems in customs in cooperation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
He also expressed Tehran’s readiness to provide Quito’s customs administration with its latest experiences through holding training courses, IRNA reported.
Carlos Marques Carasko, the Ecuadoran customs’ director voiced his country’s keenness to sign a customs MOU with Iran, saying that, “We formerly dispatched an agreement draft to IRICA and now we intend to discuss the details of the agreement with the officials.”