TEHRAN- During a meeting between Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji and Belarussian Minister of Industry Rogozhnik Alexander Nikolaevich at the place of Iranian Oil Ministry in Tehran on Tuesday evening, the two sides stressed the need to expand relations in the field of energy.

Nikolaevich, who visited Tehran heading a high-ranking Belarussian delegation, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), on cooperation in the economic fields, with Iranian Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade Abbas Ali-Abadi, at the end of the 16th meeting of Iran-Belarus Joint Economic Committee on Monday.

During the meeting, which was attended by senior Iranian and Belarussian officials, the two sides discussed the ways to expand cooperation in different economic and trade fields, including export and import of agricultural products and equipment, mining machinery, public transportation, medicine and medical equipment, and petrochemicals.

Mehdi Zeyghami, the head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), was also present in the meeting.

The 15th Iran-Belarus Joint Economic Committee meeting was held in late July 2022 in Minsk.

Iran and Belarus signed a comprehensive cooperation roadmap and seven memorandums of understanding in mid-March, as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko made a visit to Tehran.

The cooperation roadmap and MOUs include various commercial, transportation, agricultural and cultural fields.

The roadmap was signed by the presidents of the two countries, while the MOUs were inked by senior officials from the two sides.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Belarusian counterpart after signing the document, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said: "Good agreements were made in the field of industry, mining, trade, agriculture, roads and various fields, and we hope that it will be a step towards the development of the two countries."

Referring to the determination of Iran and Belarus to develop relations in all fields, Raisi said: "Both countries are against unilateralism. We believe that independent countries can have good relations with each other which lead to the neutralization of sanctions."

Lukashenko, for his part, pointed to his last visit to Iran in 2006 and said that no sanctions or pressures have been able to stop the Iranian nation from progressing, and it is a fact that an independent and strong Iran is continuing its path.

Referring to the MOUs between the two countries, Lukashenko noted that if all these MOUs are implemented, the two countries can achieve $100 million of annual trade. 

"The volume of trade between the two countries tripled in 2022 compared to 2021," he noted.

The Belarusian president expressed hope that the implementation of the comprehensive cooperation roadmap will help develop the relations between the two countries even more.

MA

Photo: Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji (R) and Belarussian Minister of Industry Rogozhnik Alexander Nikolaevich