TEHRAN - Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak stressed accelerating the implementation of the two countries’ joint projects in a meeting in Moscow on Monday.

The officials, who co-chair the two countries’ Joint Economic Committee, also discussed the agreements reached during the 15th Iran-Russia Joint Economic Committee meeting which was held in Tehran and Isfahan in mid-June.

Construction of a 1,400-megawatt thermal power plant in Hormozgan province in southern Iran by Russian government’s funding, and the project for electrification of the 495-km Garmsar-Inche Boroun railway that links the city of Garmsar, in north of the Iranian capital Tehran, with the Iranian city of Inche-Boroun, on the border with Turkmenistan, were among the joint projects that were discussed during the meeting.

In the meeting, Novak expressed satisfaction with the completion of Iran's internal legal processes for joining the Eurasian Economic Union, saying "According to the agreements, the free trade agreement between Iran and Eurasia [Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)] is due to go operational on October 26.”

He further called for the implementation of the Iran-Russia-Kazakhstan trilateral agreement for the temporary transit and swap of wheat through Iran.
Ardakanian for his part pledged that the agreement would be followed-up by the Iranian side.

At the end of the meeting, Reza Ardakanian invited the Russian Energy Minister to participate in Iran’s 19th International Electricity Exhibition (ElecShow 2019) which is due to be held during October 30-November 2 in Tehran.

Iran and Russia signed eight memorandums of understanding (MOUs) in the 15th Iran-Russia Joint Economic Committee meeting which was wrapped up on June 17 in Isfahan.
***EEC chairman invites President Rouhani to EAEU summit 

In his visit to Russia, Ardakanian also met with the Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Council (EEC) Board Tigran Sarkisian, and discussed Iran’s joining in the union.

In the meeting, Sarkisian invited Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani to attend the Eurasian summit, adding that one of the main topics of the summit, which will be held in Yerevan in late September, is the issue of transit and cooperation of member states with Iran in order to multiply their trade with the country.

"Joining Eurasia is a very important event that will lead to the expansion of Iran's trade volume with the members of the economic union," he said, stressing that the union wants to multiply its trade volume with Iran.

Also in the meeting, Ardakanian invited Sarkisian to visit Iran to further discuss the trade deal between Iran and EAEU and the official agreed to pay a visit to Tehran in near future.

EF/MA