Iran, Georgia Discuss Expansion of Trade Relations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday held a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Janelidze in the German city of Munich, during which the two sides explored avenues for promoting bilateral ties in different fields.
During the meeting held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the two sides highlighted the significance of bilateral ties between Tehran and Tbilisi.
They also hailed the existing capacities for expansion of mutual cooperation in different fields, particularly energy, power, transport, transit, and tourism.
Zarif emphasized the necessity for the active role of private sector in the development of trade and economic cooperation, and said the recent termination of anti-Iran sanctions prepares the grounds for Iran-Georgia cooperation.
Janelidze, for his part, congratulated Iran on the implementation of the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
He further noted that the existing potentials for mutual cooperation are much more than the existing trade level, and voiced Georgia’s interest in enhancement of its cooperation with Iran in different political, economic, and tourism fields.
The meeting came after Georgia’s foreign ministry earlier announced that the visa-free travel regime with Iran, which had been suspended by Tbilisi on July 1, 2013, will be restored on February 15.
The resumption of the visa-free travel was announced during a meeting between Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Jalagania and Iran’s Ambassador to Tbilisi Abbas Talebifar.
With the visa-free regime in place, Iranian citizens will be able to stay in Georgia without applying for a visa for 45 days from the date of their arrival in the country.
The move is expected to help promote the economic and tourism ties between the two countries.
In a telephone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili earlier this week, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani called for closer cooperation with Georgia, saying that the Caucasian country can play an influential role in the Islamic Republic’s trade with Black Sea states.
President Rouhani called for expansion of bilateral relations between Tehran and Tbilisi, saying, “Economic and cultural cooperation between Iran and Georgia should be strengthened more than ever in line with the interests of the two nations.”
He further pointed to the activities of the two countries’ joint economic commission and said there are numerous capacities to boost cooperation and implement agreements of the joint commission.
Rouhani added that lifting of visa requirements for the two sides can promote the level of cooperation between Iran and Georgia.
