MADRID Simultaneous with the visit to Iran of the Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, an economic conference will be opened in Tehran with the participation of officials of the economy and trade sectors as well as industrialists of the two countries.
Iranian Ambassador in Madrid Hassan Shafti told IRNA here that trade and economic officials of both the public and private sectors of Iran and Spain will attend the conference.
Aznar will attend the closing session of the conference.
The Spanish prime minister will arrive in Tehran next Sunday for an official visit, the first by an Spanish prime minister to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Shafti said that given Aznar's interest in the idea of dialogue among civilizations, he is due to participate in a session on the same topic in Tehran.
The Tehran gathering of dialogue among civilizations which will be attended by Iranian and Spanish professors will discuss the role of culture in the dialogue.
Underlining Spain's full backing of Iran within the European Union (EU), Shafti said that Spanish officials have always hailed the idea of dialogue among civilizations as a practical measure to give order to the ideals of human societies and collectively benefit from the achievements of the human civilization heritage.
Pointing to the potential commonalties between the two countries as suitable grounds for political, economic and cultural cooperation, he said that Spain's initiative this year for promoting Iran's status in the list of countries with investment risks is an indication of the country's approval of Iran's economic potentials and political stability.
Such an attitude has in its turn provided a suitable atmosphere for understanding and cooperation in economic grounds as well, he noted.
Highlighting the positive stances adopted by the Spanish government toward the Islamic Republic of Iran, the ambassador said that Iran as the most stable country in the region enjoys a suitable ground for cooperation in the implementation of infrastructural projects with industrialized countries.
He said that potentials of the two countries are as such that can turn Iran and Spain into powerful trade and economic partners to the extent that outcome of such joint cooperation can become visible as far as the Central Asia and Latin America.
The two countries can also expand bilateral cooperation in scientific, research, industrial and agricultural fields as well as in joint venture and transfer of technology.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Shafti pointed to Tehran-Madrid talks on oil and petrochemical issues and said Spain can also become a suitable market for Iran's non-oil exports. There are also ample opportunities available for bilateral cooperation in fishery and agriculture sectors on which letters of understanding have already been signed, he said.
Shafti pointed to tourism and campaign against narcotic drugs as other areas of cooperation which will further consolidate bilateral relations.
He expressed hope that documents and letters of understanding would be inked in the course of Aznar's visit to Iran.
The volume of trade between Iran and Spain currently stands at $800 million annually.
(IRNA)