TEHRAN – Tehran hosted a meeting of the heads of Iran-Syria Joint Economic Committee on Monday during which the two sides discussed previously reached agreements and explored ways of accelerating their implementation, IRNA reported.

The negotiations between Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash and Syria’s Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Mohammad Samer al-Khalil were mainly focused on the agreements and memorandums signed between the two countries during the visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Syria in May.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, al-Khalil said the agreements reached during the visit of the Iranian President to Syria are in line with the interests of the two countries.

“[The goal of] Today's meeting is to follow up on the agreements and approvals that were made during the visit of the President of Iran to Syria on May 5,” he stressed.

The Syrian minister noted that several constructive meetings have been held with Iranian officials regarding economic cooperation between the two countries and many topics have been discussed in all the potential fields of cooperation.

Bazrpahs for his part mentioned the agreements signed during President Raisi’s visit to Syria, saying: “16 cooperation documents were signed between the two countries during the visit, and one of our main duties in the [two countries’ Joint Economic] committee is to follow up on the implementation of these documents.”

The Iranian transport minister announced the revival of the semi-closed factories of two Iranian automobile manufacturers in Syria and the establishment of a tire production complex in this country and said: “the agreements and approvals of the recent visit of President Raisi to Syria are in a very good condition and a large part of these agreements are currently being implemented.”

The official also announced that the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) is going to issue a permit for an Iranian bank to start operating in Syria within few weeks.

He noted that tariffs on many commodity groups have been zeroed and the two countries businessmen can export and imports their goods without any tariffs.

Iran and Syria signed numerous agreements in various areas including banking cooperation, the establishment of an insurance company, tourism, transportation and free trade were during the visit of President Raisi to Syria.

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Photo: Iranian Transport Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash (L) and Syria’s Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Mohammad Samer al-Khalil