TEHRAN — In a meeting with ECO Secretary General Khusrav Noziri on Tuesday, Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi urged ECO to adopt a proper solution for activating the member countries’ potential for development of economic cooperation.

The meeting took place as ECO leaders are set to meet in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on November 28. It will mark the 15th summit by the regional economic bloc.

Raisi called for removing obstacles in the efforts to increase the level of relations and cooperation between member countries that includes Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 

“Any kind of obstacles and problems in the development of cooperation must be removed so that economic relations between ECO members can be carried out at a better way,” Raisi suggested.

He pointed out that each member of ECO has a lot of economic potential in various fields that the activation of which can lead to economic prosperity in the region.

Referring to the capacities of ECO in the fields of energy, trade, transport, digital economy, maritime economy and tourism, the president said, “Comprehensive plans and actions of the ECO Secretariat to activate these capacities can boost the region's economic prosperity and bring about the development and prosperity of ECO member countries.”

Raisi added that Tehran attaches special importance to regional cooperation within the framework of ECO and supports such activities.

During the meeting, Noziri also presented a report on the plans made for the ECO summit in Turkmenistan.

The new Raisi administration has been insisting that it prioritizes economic relations with Asian states, especially neighbors.