TEHRAN - Iran-Czech Republic Business Forum was held at Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (TCCIMA) on Sunday, where the two sides highlighted the need for stronger trade ties.

Key plenary speakers of the seminar were Masoud Khansar, the TCCIMA chairman; Jan Mladek, Jaroslav Hanak, and Jan Kavan, respectively minister of industry and trade of the Czech Republic, Jaroslav Hanak, president of the confederation industry of the country, and chairman of the Czech-Slovak-Iranian Chamber of Commerce.
At the outset of the seminar, Khansari said bilateral trade between the two countries has been ongoing all over the past years though at times there have been ups and downs.
Referring to the current bilateral trade, which falls somewhere between $20 million to $30 million in value, the TCCIMA chairman could not mask his dissatisfaction, calling for more economic cooperation as the potential is great.
Among likely cooperation areas between the countries, Khansari listed infrastructure, clean energies, pharmacology, and machinery as the Czech Republic has developed cutting-edge technologies in these areas.
However, Khansari conditioned any sort of economic activity upon long-term joint investment as Iran is not going to be a large consumer market for foreigners.
Next to Khansari, Minister Mladek delivered his address where he said his country is seeking sustainable trade with Iran, and this is quite possible in light of potentials and capacities of the two countries.
Mladek’s address was very upbeat as, according to him, the Check Republic has the second lowest unemployment rate among European countries, posting a growth rate of 4.4 percent in 2015. So, his country’s trade with Iran can grow ten times larger than the current level, according to the minister.
According to the minister, industrial activities form the backbone of the economy of the Czech Republic, explaining almost one third of the country’s GDP. As well as, Mladek stated that his country has not only innovative vehicle manufacturers, but in recent years the country has made great progress in energy, oil, gas, and environment sectors.
Following the minister, Hanank, president of the biggest industrial body of the Czech Republic, started his address, where he stressed that more than 10,000 industrial bodies hold membership in the confederation.
“Now, an agreement between Iran and the Czech Republic has been concluded to manufacture 250 heavy tractors,” Hanak let slip. At the end of the meeting, Khansari and Hanak signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to further cooperation between the TCCIMA and the confederation industry of the Czech Republic.
The last speaker of the seminar was Jan Kavan. According to Kavan, transportation, mining, pharmacology, alternative energies, construction industries, and hydro turbines are areas in which Czech companies have progressed a lot. Kavan also expressed hope that bilateral trade would hit $500 billion.
The 60-strong Czech trade delegation, headed by the country’s minister of industry and trade, arrived in Teheran on Saturday to explore economic ventures. Parts of the delegation are active in finance and services, healthcare, engineering and machinery, and energy.

AK/PA