TEHRAN- Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash arrived in Syria on Tuesday morning at the head of a high-ranking delegation and was welcomed by Syrian Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Mohammad Samer al-Khalil.

During the two-day stay in Syria, the two countries’ officials are discussing the ways for the expansion of economic relations between the two countries.

Bazrpash and Samer al-Khalil co-chair Iran-Syria Joint Economic Committee.

Emphasizing the strengthening of economic relations between Iran and Syria, the Iranian minister announced the talks between the officials of the two countries to expand economic relations in the maritime and rail sectors, facilitate bank transactions and reduce free trade tariffs.

Talking to the reporters after visiting Samer al-Khalil, Bazrpash said about the goals of his two-day trip: “In this trip, the aim is to advance the agreements that were made in the past and lay the ground for new agreements in various fields.”

“There are high relations between the two countries, and Iran and Syria are at the highest level of political relations, but in the economic field, there is a lot of possibilities to develop ties, and we are trying to expand economic relations”, the minister emphasized.

“The most important issues that we are following in the joint committee meeting today and tomorrow include the sea-oriented economy, which has good plans prepared, also in the rail sector, the alliance between Iran, Iraq, and Syria, and the revival and development of rail lines in the fields of cargo and passenger transit are considered”, the chairman of the joint committee further announced on Tuesday.

Iran and Syria have been taking major steps for the expansion of their mutual trade ties. The two sides have exchanged numerous trade delegations and Iranian private companies are investing in various fields of the Syrian economy like providing construction materials especially cement and working on several reconstruction projects.

MA

Photo: Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash (L) and Syrian Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Mohammad Samer al-Khalil.