TEHRAN - In phone talks on Monday, Iran's presidential chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi and Azeri Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev called for closer economic and trade cooperation as the COVID-19 outbreak has caused hurdles.

The top officials insisted the two neighbors will develop trade and transport relations despite the spread of the coronavirus disease.  

The two officials, meantime, underlined the need to share experiences to contain the COVID-19.

Vaezi and Mustafayev vowed that Iran and Azerbaijan will spare no joint effort to restore the level of trade ties to the pre-coronavirus era.

Completion of the North-South Corridor was also discussed by the two officials as they stressed the significance of the joint project, according to Fars news agency.

They stressed that implementation of joint projects and development of cooperation on different railway and road projects would benefit the two countries and the entire region as well.

In a relevant development last Friday, President Hassan Rouhani and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev reviewed bilateral relations, stressing the need for implementing the Rasht-Astara railway.

Rouhani said, “Fortunately, with the efforts of the officials of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, we are witnessing good, friendly and developing relations between the two countries in recent years.”

The president also stated that the officials of the two countries can hold consultations via video conference in these situations where face-to-face meetings and travel is hard.

NA/PA