TEHRAN - Head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Mehdi Zeighami has said that the Islamic Republic of Iran and Vietnam have expressed hope to reach an agreement on preferential trade.

During a meeting with Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang on Tuesday, Zeighami pointed to the importance of the Vietnamese market for Iran, saying that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi emphasizes the development of economic ties with East Asian countries, and Vietnam is among the 15 countries that Iran prioritizes for trade.

Zeighami invited Vietnamese government officials, private sector representatives, and businesspersons to participate in the Iranian international trade event, the 2024 Iran Expo exhibition.

Iran has signed preferential trade agreements with many countries, he said, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to sign preferential trade agreements with the Vietnamese side, which would help to develop trade between the two nations.

Nguyen Minh Hang, for her part, called for strengthening economic and trade ties with Iran, expressing Vietnam's willingness to hold a joint commission between the two countries to discuss further opportunities for collaboration.

She also emphasized Vietnam's goal of developing a roadmap for trade with Iran, including the possibility of signing preferential tariffs with Iran, given that Vietnam has already signed tariff-free agreements with many other countries.

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