TEHRAN – Tehran is going to host the next Iran-Oman Joint Economic Committee meeting in the current Iranian calendar month of Azar (ends on December 21), Portal of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) reported.

The decision was announced on Saturday during a ceremony which was held by ICCIMA on the occasion of the end of Omani Ambassador Saud bin Ahmad Khalid al-Barwani’s mission in Tehran.

In the event, Iranian private sector’s representatives expressed their gratitude to Khalid al-Barwani for his efforts to strengthen the economic relations between the two countries over the past six years.

Speaking in the meeting, Head of Iran-Oman Joint Economic Committee said, in 2013, when al-Barwani was appointed as Oman’s ambassador to Tehran, the total volume of trade between the two countries stood at $221 million and Iran's exports to Oman were $146 million. 

“Despite the positive political relations, the two sides did not have significant economic ties,” he said, adding that “however, currently despite the U.S. sanctions, Iran's exports to Oman has reached $728 million and the two countries’ trade turnover has also reached $1.16 billion, which means a 5.3 percent increase in trade between the two countries in about five years.

Al-Barwani for his part, expressed gratitude for Iranian private sector’s hospitality, saying that “I have made all my best over the past six years to maintain the political and economic ties between the two countries in a good level.”

“While traveling to various provinces of Iran, I came across intelligent businessmen who can play significant roles in boosting economic relations between the two countries,” he added.

Referring to Iran's removal of visas for Omani citizens, al-Barwani said, The Omani government has also facilitated the issuance of visas for Iranians, and the process is now proceeding swiftly.

EF/MA