TEHRAN – The eighteenth session of the Iran-Belarus Joint Economic Committee meeting convened in Tehran, bringing together senior ministers, business representatives and experts from both countries to outline a new phase of commercial, industrial and scientific collaboration.

The meeting was co-chaired by the two countries’ industry ministers, IRIB reported.

Iran-EAEU FTA a turning point in Iran-Belarus trade ties

Speaking at the session, Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Mohammad Atabak said the committee is expected to produce substantive agreements that will broaden cooperation across economic, commercial, scientific, cultural and investment fields.

He said the implementation of the free trade agreement between the Islamic Republic and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), along with plans for a special economic zone, represents “a turning point” in the commercial and industrial history of member states.

Atabak added that these arrangements give national policymakers and private-sector actors a wider platform to pursue long-term economic development and to deepen regional engagement.

The minister highlighted plans to reinforce legal frameworks, expand university-level scientific cooperation and support business-to-business engagement with Belarus. Years of political and economic interaction—including sector-specific working groups and high-level visits—have helped create conditions for broader joint projects across industry, science, culture and trade.

According to Atabak, the formation of dedicated working groups in industrial, health, medical and agricultural sectors has enabled companies in both countries to advance practical cooperation.

He said the two governments aim to raise bilateral trade volumes in line with their economic capacities and complementary strengths.

Removing banking and transit obstacles

Atabak noted that banking problems, letters of credit and transit issues for drivers must be resolved quickly to facilitate predictable and efficient trade. He called on private-sector representatives to intensify efforts to understand each other’s markets and build long-term commercial partnerships. Establishing trade centers, exhibitions and consultative councils could accelerate this process, he said.

He also underlined the country’s strategic logistics position in West Asia, saying Belarusian firms could use southern ports as gateways to India, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Atabak said the joint session reflected the strong will of both governments to pursue comprehensive ties. He reiterated the need to resolve banking issues, improve customs and logistical links, and standardize pharmaceutical regulations under EAEU frameworks. He invited the Belarusian delegation to participate in the Eurasia Exhibition scheduled for February 1, 2026.

Belarus emphasizes readiness for joint industrial projects

Belarusian Industry Minister Andrei Kuznetsov thanked the hosts for the organization of the commission and said the presence of his delegation reflects a commitment to strengthening friendly relations. He said expert teams from both countries had contributed significantly to drafting the agreements and preparing implementation plans.

Kuznetsov said Belarus is keen to move quickly on joint agreements and to expand cooperation in economic and industrial technologies, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, machinery, home appliances, food products and agricultural goods. He underscored the importance of establishing joint production lines, advancing pharmaceutical and medical projects, and updating investment and economic mechanisms.

Focus on transport corridors, education and cultural exchange

The Belarusian minister identified transportation, transit corridors, scientific education and cultural tourism as priority areas for near-term action. He said academic cooperation—such as joint scientific committees and mutual recognition of degrees—will help strengthen trust and expand long-term exchanges.

Kuznetsov added that reinforcing professional, technical and educational engagement could help increase bilateral trade volumes and broaden the overall scope of cooperation.

In a meeting with Head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, earlier this week, Belarusian Ambassador to Iran Dmitry Koltsov stated: "We are seriously pursuing increased trade and economic exchanges between Iran and Belarus”.

In the mentioned meeting, the TPO head emphasized the expansion of trade cooperation between the two countries, stating: "Holding the joint committee meeting can facilitate many trade issues between the two countries."

He stressed the development of trade cooperation between the two countries, saying: "There are diverse capacities for trade exchanges between Iran and Belarus, and we strive to expand economic relations between the two countries in various fields."

Dehghan Dehnavi further listed some trade issues that would lead to the development of bilateral trade relations, expressing hope: "The joint committee meeting can facilitate many trade matters between the two countries."

The TPO head concluded by noting: "Alongside the 18th joint committee meeting of Iran and Belarus, meetings will be held between officials of the two countries, which will provide the groundwork for further cooperation."

The ambassador of Belarus to Iran, for his part, referred to the importance of the Iran-Belarus joint committee meeting, stating: "The meeting of officials from both countries in this committee is highly significant and will resolve many trade obstacles."

Dmitry Koltsov added: "After this meeting, we intend to have further meetings with the managers of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization to follow up on the topics discussed."

Highlighting that "we are seriously pursuing increased trade and economic exchanges between Iran and Belarus”, the ambassador expressed hope that “after this meeting, we will witness good measures in expanding trade relations between the two countries."

Back in August, Belarusian Industry Minister and Co-chair of the Belarusian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Andrei Kuznetsov said that Belarusian Industry Ministry places great importance on the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and Iran.

The official told BelTA on the sidelines of the high-level talks between Belarus and Iran at the Palace of Independence in Minsk on August 20.

“We highly value the achieved level of interaction and see significant potential for further expansion of bilateral ties. The Industry Ministry is ready to offer Iranian partners a wide spectrum of opportunities for deepening our industrial partnership,” Andrei Kuznetsov said.

The minister highlighted specific areas of joint work that demonstrate a commitment to long-term and productive interaction between the two states.

For instance, the establishment of assembly production for Belarusian harvesters would integrate the technologies of the Belarusian mechanical engineering industry into Iran's economy and create a local enterprise for assembling high-quality agricultural machinery. This would reduce logistics costs and provide the local market with access to the advanced technologies of the Belarusian agricultural industrial complex. The minister noted that work in this direction has already begun.

Also during talks on expanding investment and transit cooperation, officials from the two countries said that Belarus could gain access to open waters via Iran’s free trade zones.

Alena Perminova, head of Belarus’s National Agency of Investment and Privatization, met Reza Masrour, secretary of Iran’s Free and Special Economic Zones High Council, to discuss new avenues for collaboration.

Perminova said a cooperation agreement signed between her agency and Iran’s free zone secretariat was aimed at boosting joint projects.

She stressed Belarus’s interest in building partnerships with Iran’s free zones, saying the two countries could meet many of each other’s needs through investment and re-exporting goods. “We are committed to implementing the framework of this agreement and creating more opportunities for cooperation,” she said.

Perminova noted that Belarus’s free trade zones were established to stimulate provincial development and commercial dynamism, and added that Minsk was ready to pursue serious joint projects with Tehran.

Masrour said Belarus could use Iran’s ports to bypass its landlocked geography and sanctions-related restrictions.

He cited the Caspian route from Makhachkala in Russia to Iran’s Caspian Port as a corridor that could provide Belarus with maritime access. In return, he said Belarus could enhance Iran’s entry into the Eurasian Economic Union’s 180-million-strong market.

“Both Iran and Belarus face unjust economic sanctions,” Masrour said, adding that the measures had restricted Belarus’s traditional access to Baltic ports in Lithuania and Latvia. “Iranian ports can serve as an alternative.”

The official also pointed to Iran’s role in the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), saying Belarus could secure vital export routes for its potash fertilizers, agricultural products and other goods to Arab countries, Africa and beyond via Iranian free zones.

The talks also covered cooperation in tourism, high-tech industries, the digital economy, logistics, and organizing joint investment exhibitions.

EF/MA