TEHRAN - Iranian Economy Minister Farhad Dejpasand says Tehran and Ankara are eager for enhancing trade interaction to achieve a target of $30 billion annual trade exchange, Shada reported.

In a meeting with Turkish Deputy Minister of Customs and Trade Riza Tuna Turagay in Tehran on Wednesday, Dejpasand underlined the great history of close ties between the two countries and their officials’ great determination to expand bilateral relations, calling for the promotion of cooperation between the two neighbors.

Pointing to the target of $30 billion annual trade set by Iran and Turkey, the Iranian minister said the level of bilateral trade exchange is expected to rise in light of mutual efforts.

“The cooperation between the customs of Iran and Turkey must be much closer and stronger than the current level,” Dejpasand added.

For his part, Tuna Turagay reaffirmed the Turkish government’s determination to continue trade cooperation with Iran, and called for the modernization of transportation routes between the two countries and for updating the customs equipment in order to accelerate the pace of mutual trade.

During the 27th meeting of Iran-Turkey Joint Economic Committee, which was held in Ankara in mid-September, the two sides investigated different ways of reaching the targeted $30-billion bilateral trade and reiterated that reaching this figure is possible despite the pressures of the U.S. sanctions.

During the meeting, the Iranian president’s chief of staff, Mahmoud Vaezi, who is the Iranian chairman of the committee, mentioned expediting the process of implementing bilateral agreements on trade and economic issues as the most prioritized objective of the joint committee and said Iran has no limitation for expanding and deepening cooperation with Turkey.

EF/MA