TEHRAN - Ali Alizadeh, the Azerbaijani ambassador to Iran, has invited Iranian companies to participate in reconstruction projects in the Karabakh region, saying Iranian contractors are currently constructing schools and hospitals in the region.

Speaking in a meeting with Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam-Hossein Shafeie, the ambassador said: “There are many opportunities for Iranian companies [in the Karabakh region]. We have good opportunities for cooperation in the fields of energy, transportation, and trade, and we are determined to pursue this cooperation.”

“Azerbaijan and Iran are two close, brotherly and friendly countries that have a great relationship, and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan attaches great importance to relations with Iran and emphasizes strengthening these relations,” Alizadeh said.

As reported by the ICCIMA portal, he noted that economic and trade ties play a pivotal role in strengthening political relations between the two countries, and since the ICCIMA is one of the most important economic players in Iran, the embassy likes to pursue the strengthening of economic and trade relations between the two countries through ICCIMA as well.

“There are lots of common areas for cooperation between the two countries in various fields including energy and transportation. Last year, the Republic of Azerbaijan was able to increase its trade balance by about 30 percent, and at the beginning of this year the trade balance has increased by about 20 percent,” the official stated.

Shafeie for his part mentioned close relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, saying: “Iran and Azerbaijan have special and exceptional relations. If you travel from Azerbaijan to Iran and from Iran to Azerbaijan, you will not see much cultural difference between the two countries, and cultural and linguistic commonalities are effective in comprehensive relations.”

the ICCIMA head noted that there are great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries, adding: “The development of transportation between the two countries will play an important role in regional trade.”

“Yesterday I had a meeting with the chairman of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce who visited the UAE, Pakistan and India, his whole plan was to seek ways to increase transportation between Russia and Southeast Asia; We emphasized the cooperation of Iran and Azerbaijan in this project,” Shafeie said.

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Photo: ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie (R) and Azeri Ambassador to Tehran Ali Alizadeh