TEHRAN – Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam-Hossein Shafeie, in a meeting with Brazil’s Ambassador to Tehran Laudemar Goncalves de Aguiar Neto, has called for the Brazilian side to reduce customs tariffs in order to facilitate trade between the two sides.

According to Shafeie, transportation problems and heavy tariffs on Iranian products (which reach even 100 percent for some items) are the two major obstacles in the way of the expansion of trade between the two countries.

The official noted that trade relations should be two-sided and a balance should be maintained in economic exchanges between the two sides, the ICCIMA portal reported.

“We can reach positive solutions for strengthening the economic relations between the two countries,” he said.

“Iran's private sector has tried to strengthen economic relations with Brazil along with political relations, and joint chambers of commerce are also working in this direction. Brazil is one of the largest economies in the world, and in terms of its geographical location, it has characteristics that are of particular interest to us,” the ICCIMA head added.

The Brazilian ambassador for his part said his country is interested in boosting trade levels with Iran and has maintained its trade relations with the Islamic Republic despite the sanctions.

“We expanded our trade with Iran even after Trump's unjust sanctions against Iran. Official statistics show that in the first nine months of the current year, trade relations between Iran and Brazil were at the best and highest level in the history of economic relations between the two countries,” de Aguiar said.

EF/MA

Photo: ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie (R) and Brazil’s Ambassador to Tehran Laudemar Goncalves de Aguiar Neto