BIL-E Savar-e Moghan, Ardebil The joint border market of Bil-e Savar-e Moghan resumed its activities as of Tuesday following a long period of closure, it was announced here Wednesday. Governors of Bil-e Savar cities of Iran and Azerbaijan, a number of regional customs officials and a group of tradesmen were present at the reopening ceremony of the border market. Eqbal Abbasi, Iran's Bil-e Savar Governor, said that the reopening of the border market is a positive step towards promotion of Tehran-Baku relations.

The event will also promote the existing friendship between the two Iranian and Azeri nations and governments, he added. With reopening of the border market, annually some 1,200 Iranian tradesmen will exchange goods with those of Azerbaijan, Abbasi said putting that the volume of trade by tradesmen of each side at some five million dollars a year. Ali Babayev, Governor of Azerbaijan's Bil-e Savar praised the great efforts made by the Iranian officials to reopen the market.

The joint border market of Bil-e Savar was unilaterally closed by Azeri government 18 months ago.