2023-11-27T09:53:04+00:00
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/ Iran’s Special Trade Representative in Iraq, Farzad Belten, revealed on Monday an Iraqi refusal to establish free trade with the Iranian side.
Belten said in statements reported by Mehr News Agency that the trade capacity between Iran and Iraq amounts to 20 billion dollars, explaining that due to the large gap between exports and imports with Iraq, this country does not want to establish free trade.
Regarding the trade situation between Iran and Iraq, he explained that during the first six months of this year, about $4.5 billion in goods were exported from Iran to Iraq, and about $150 million in goods were imported to Iran from the aforementioned country.
Belten, the former Director General for West Asia of the Iranian Trade Development Organization, added that the trade capacity of the two countries confirms the possibility of increasing trade relations between the two countries, including the export of goods, services, electricity and gas, at about $20 billion.
Belten also said that there is a possibility of establishing free trade or preferential tariffs with Iraq, considering that trade between Iran and Iraq is one-way and mainly includes exports from Iran to Iraq.
He continued, despite the various endeavors over the past years, the Iraqi government does not wish to negotiate and sign an agreement in any of the aforementioned areas.
He added, “For Belten, Iran’s main competitors in Iraqi markets are China and Turkey.”
The Iranian Special Trade Representative in Iraq stated, “There are problems related to trade infrastructure such as one-way transportation of goods, clearance of goods at border crossings, standards, etc., and if they are resolved, it will be possible to develop trade relations between the two countries.”