TEHRAN- In a meeting between Mehdi Mir-Ashrafi, the head of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), and Samer al-Debes, the Chairman of Chamber of Industry of Damascus and its Countryside, the two sides expressed eagerness for the expansion of customs and trade ties between Iran and Syria.

Addressing the meeting, Mir-Ashrafi said, “We are trying to facilitate bilateral trade through removing the existing barriers and problems”, Shada reported.

Stressing that Syria is a strategic partner of Iran, the Iranian official suggested establishment of a joint task force for following up the process of removing the barriers, which was welcomed by the Syrian side.

Samer al-Debes, for his part, expressed his country’s willingness for boosting economic and trade cooperation with Iran and said that planning should be made so that necessary facilities will be created for the two sides’ businessmen for conducting bilateral trade.

In a business forum held between Samer al-Debes and his accompanying delegation and some Iranian officials, private sector directors and businessmen at the place of Iran chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) on May 1, the two sides had explored the ways for the expansion of bilateral trade.

The business forum which marked the two countries’ sixth gathering in the past six months was also attended by the Chairman of Iran-Syria Joint Economic Committee Keyvan Kashefi, Hassan Danaiefar, the senior advisor to Iran’s first vice president in Syria and Iraq affairs, as well as the Syrian Ambassador to Tehran Adnan Mahmoud.

During the gathering, several senior officials delivered speeches and afterwards the two sides’ companies held B2B meetings to get to know each other and acquire information on their potentials and capacities

Addressing the business forum, Samer al-Debes expressed gratitude for Iran’s efforts in helping his country regain peace and stability and noted that the Islamic Republic is Syria’s top trade partner and first priority in reconstruction of the war-torn country.

The official pointed to some positive meetings which he had with senior Iranian officials on enhancement of economic ties between the two countries’ private sectors and noted that the Syrian government will take all necessary measures to remove the existing barriers and facilitate trade for the two sides’ businessmen.

“We need to raise awareness and pave the way for the two sides’ private sectors to get to know each other’s potentials and capabilities”, he noted.

Exchanging trade delegations and holding specialized exhibitions in the two countries was offered by al-Debes as a way to achieve the above goal.

MA/MA