TEHRAN - Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) hosted an Iran-Vietnam business forum on Wednesday, during which officials and business representatives of the two sides exchanged views on ways of expanding trade ties.

The business forum dubbed “Regulations and policies for the development of economic, commercial and investment cooperation between Iran and Vietnam” was attended by senior officials from both sides including the ICCIMA Head Hossein Selahvarzi, Head of the Iranian Parliament’s Industry and Mining Committee Ezatollah Akbari Talar-Poshti, and President of the National Assembly of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue.

As reported by the ICCIMA portal, the 70-member delegation of representatives of the Asian country’s companies active in various sectors also attended the event to get to know their Iranian counterparts and discuss business opportunities.

Speaking at the meeting, Selahvarzi referred to the will of the governments of Iran and Vietnam to increase the level of economic relations, saying: “The private sectors of the two countries have the duty to find ways to strengthen relations and to provide proposals to the governments to facilitate the access of the two sides to each other's markets. Of course, it is the duty of the governments to provide platforms for joint cooperation between the two sides through consultation.”

“Unfortunately, due to the sanctions against Iran, we are facing banking and transportation problems in international communication, and this challenge also exists in relation to Vietnam, but we have good experiences to deal with such problems and can find good ways to develop cooperation,” the ICCIMA head said.

Selahvarzi further pointed to the capabilities and capacities of the two countries to cooperate with each other and said: “Iran's advantages in mineral, agricultural and food industries, tourism, engineering technical services, etc. have created favorable grounds for cooperation with Vietnam; and on the other hand, Vietnam is a hub for the production of electronic products and ancillary industries, and has high experience in this field, which is a good field for cooperation.”

“Considering such capacities, Iran and Vietnam can define significant joint projects in various fields like the transfer of technology and knowledge and the training of specialists,” he added.

The ICCIMA head also considered access to Iran's neighboring countries as a good opportunity for joint activities between Iran and Vietnam.

He pointed to easing the banking and investment conditions and regulations and facilitating issuing visas between the two countries as measures that the governments can take to boost the level of trade and added: “The private sectors of Iran and Vietnam should have easy conditions in order to access the markets of the two countries.”

Elsewhere in the event, Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized the interest of the two countries to increase the level of trade relations, saying: "Fortunately, good agreements were signed during this trip and positive talks were held, which makes the prospect of trade relations between Iran and Vietnam promising."

He noted that the officials of both countries emphasize complete support for their economic operators, adding that “Iran has made good progress despite the sanctions and economic problems and Iran's economy continues to grow in the face of western pressures.”

“Considering the geographical location of Iran, the richness of Iranian culture, and the high economic capacity of this country, and on the other hand, considering the high influence of Vietnam in the East Asian region, two countries can have good economic cooperation with each other,” he stressed.

Later in the forum, the head of the Iranian Parliament’s Industry and Mining Committee underlined the significance of the presence of the president of the National Assembly of Vietnam in the ICCIMA and said: “ICCIMA plays an important role in the growth of international trade and the presence of this delegation in this forum can be considered as the beginning of extensive relations between the two countries.”

“The Iranian parliament's Industry and Mining Committee is ready to prepare the ground for cooperation and provide what is necessary for the transfer of knowledge and technology with Vietnam,” Talar-Poshti noted.

Prior to the Iran-Vietnam business forum, Selahvarzi and Vuong Dinh Hue met and held talks, during which Selahvarzi called on the Vietnamese side to take the necessary measures for the establishment of a Vietnam-Iran Joint Chamber of Commerce in the country.

Mentioning the new methods that Iran is using to maintain trade with its partners despite the sanctions, the ICCIMA head said: “Iran's private sector is fully prepared to find alternative solutions for the development of bilateral trade exchanges by using joint investments and forming a fund for barter trade.”

The president of Vietnam’s National Assembly arrived in Tehran on Tuesday morning, beginning his official visit to Iran at an invitation of Iran’s parliament speaker.

Hue's trip has taken place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Iran and Vietnam.

During a joint press conference between Vuong Dinh Hue and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s Parliament Speaker, on Tuesday, the Iranian side said that Iran and Vietnam have agreed to expand regional and international cooperation.

Ghalibaf said he had discussed various issues with Hue and the two have agreed to strengthen ties in several fields including economy, health, and diplomacy.

“During the meeting, we put great emphasis on cultural, scientific and touristic collaborations between the two nations. Both of us also emphasized the implementation of all previous agreements including economic ones. All the shortcomings of the past must be made up for and we should increase our level of cooperation,” the Iranian parliament speaker told reporters.

For his part, Hue invited Ghalibaf to pay an official visit to Vietnam. The two officials signed an MOU for parliamentary cooperation at the end of the conference.

EF/MA