TEHRAN - Iran’s foreign minister and energy minister (the head of the Iran-Tajikistan Joint Commission) as well as heads of other government organizations and that of the Chamber of Commerce have held a joint meeting at the Foreign Ministry.

They discussed the latest developments regarding Iran’s relations with its northern neighbors and explored ways of expanding relations, according to a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry.

Meanwhile, the participants in the meeting assessed the proposal put forth by the organizations for the president to participate in the upcoming Shanghai summit and to visit Tajikistan.

Earlier on Monday, the first consultation forum of the Foreign Ministry and Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines was held with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, his deputy for economic diplomacy and directors general of the ministry playing host.

The meeting, held at the foreign ministry, had as guests head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines Gholam Hossein Shafeei as well as members of joint chambers of commerce with neighboring countries and joint chambers with key trade partners of Iran, the Iranian foreign ministry said in a separate statement.

Shafeei thanked the foreign minister for holding the meeting, saying the consultation forum is the first initiative and meeting held by a ministry of the 13th government [President Ebrahim Raisi’s government] with the private sector. He described the meeting as significant and as a show of how bold the foreign ministry considers the activities of the private sector. Shafeei also called for such meetings to be held regularly in the coming months.

The private sector economic operators of Iran elaborated on their viewpoints on expansion of trade ties with other countries, especially neighboring nations and major trade partners of Iran, and called on the Foreign Ministry to increase its support for the private sector’s role in promotion of economic exchanges with other countries, especially during joint commissions. 

During the meeting, the Foreign Ministry’s deputy for economic diplomacy and the ministry’s regional directors general also answered questions raised by the economic operators of the private sector.

The foreign minister later concluded the meeting with economic operators and officials of the Iran chamber, saying the private sector is the propellant engine of ties with other countries. Abdollahian added that trade and economic links help a stable foreign policy and strengthen it, reiterating the foreign ministry’s determination to support the role and participation of the private sector in exchanges with other countries.  

Abdollahian also said securing supplies of Covid-19 vaccines is a top priority of the foreign ministry and briefed the participants on the ministry’s steps, over the past days, to help speed up the supply of the vaccine doses needed in the country. He said the ministry welcomes the cooperation of the private sector in this field.

Some of the other topics discussed during the conclusion of the meeting by Foreign Minister Hossein Abdollahian were formation of a joint committee among the Foreign Ministry,  the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade and Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines; recognizing the real place of the private sector in joint commissions on economic cooperation; continuation of such consultative meetings; participation of the head of the Iran chamber in the meetings of the Foreign Ministry’s Council of Deputies, with respect to the economic topics raised, and prioritization of topics related to organizing border terminals and strengthening the country’s infrastructure when they promote exports.