TEHRAN - Head of Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO) Dariyush Amani met with Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Tehran Nikolina Kuneva on Thursday, in which the two sides stressed the readiness to develop economic, transit, and transportation cooperation, IRIB reported.

Speaking at the meeting, Amani underlined the importance of expanding international road transport cooperation between the two countries, saying: “The economic and political relations between the two countries are 130 years old, and the territory of Bulgaria has been the main crossing point for the Iranian road fleet heading to Europe, therefore, transport cooperation between the two countries can reduce transit costs for the two sides compared to other countries in the region.”

Considering the numerous meetings held between the authorities of the two countries, the condition is suitable for the development of economic cooperation between the two sides, he said.

The official further mentioned Bulgaria's membership in the International North-South Corridor, as well as the Persian Gulf-Black Sea Corridor, saying that being in the path of the mentioned corridors is a great potential that the two countries can benefit from for developing trade ties.

Referring to the holding of 19 meetings of the Iran-Bulgaria Joint Economic Committee so far, Amani said: “The last meeting was held in April 2019 in Sofia, and the 20th round of the meeting will be held soon.”

“Four rounds of road transport committee meetings have also been held so far, the last of which was concluded within the framework of the 19th Joint Economic Committee,” the Iranian deputy minister added.

Kuneva for her part thanked the Iranian Transport Ministry for its cooperation in facilitating transportation and transit cooperation with Bulgaria, noting that the transport ministers of the two countries, as the chairs of the joint economic committee, have been able to take very positive measures for facilitating trade relations between the two sides.

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Photo: RMTO Head Dariyush Amani (3rd L) and Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Tehran Nikolina Kuneva (2nd R) meet in Tehran on Thursday.