Tehran, 12 Dec. 2023 (QNA/IRNA)

9th Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Commission meeting held recently on December 9-11. The ceremony took place at the Iranian Energy Ministry building in Tehran last Monday.

Qatar delegation was headed by Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani, and Irani delegation was headed by Minister of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ali-Akbar Mehrabian.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani, Chairman, Qatar Chamber of Commerce also participated as member of the Qatar delegation

Both sides discussed on various possible areas where further bilateral cooperation could be possible to enhance including trade and industry, customs, handicrafts, health, science and research, transportation, sea shipping, communications, information technology, agriculture, free zones, culture, sports, and labor.

The two sides also discussed the progress achieved in the recommendations of the joint technical working committee.

In his speech during the meeting, Minister of Commerce and Industry of State of Qatar praised the close and distinguished relations between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He underlined that the relations were deepened by the official visits exchanged between the two countries and the common desire of the countries' leadership to develop and diversify bilateral cooperation.

The meeting represents an important opportunity to follow up on the results achieved during the previous session of the Joint Committee.

It also reflects the mutual keenness of both sides to continue efforts to enhance joint work between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Minister of Commerce and Industry said.

He expressed his hope that this meeting would contribute to expanding and diversifying the strategic partnership between the two countries, opening new horizons and creating opportunities for the business sector and Qatari and Iranian companies to expand and grow in the markets.

He also expressed his confidence in the contribution of the Qatar-Iran Business Council to developing intra-trade, facilitating the flow of goods and services, and strengthening the partnership between the business sectors of the two countries.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani noted the promising investment opportunities provided by the State of Qatar and called on Iranian investors and companies to explore them and benefit from them to establish investment partnerships that derive success from the common visions and goals of the two countries.

IRNA reported that Iran’s Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian called for boosting bilateral relations in the energy sector, the development of renewable energy projects as well as the connection of the two countries’ power grids.

He said that the two countries reached good agreements during the latest meeting of their joint economic commission, which he expressed hope that would positively impact the bilateral economic cooperation.

Mehrabian said that the agreements reached cover cultural and social fields as well as infrastructure.

The two sides agreed during the 9th meeting of the Qatar-Iran Joint Committee to take the necessary steps to move ahead in the approach of consolidating trade, investment and industrial cooperation, with the aim of increasing the volume of trade exchange and facilitating the flow of goods, services and investments between the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The annual trade between Iran and Qatar can reach $1 billion, as per Director of the International Affairs Department of the Ministry of Energy,
Mojtaba Akbari. As per 'Iran Daily', Akbari made the remark in the 9th meeting of the Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Cooperation Commission in Tehran, adding that the amount of export of goods and equipment to Qatar from Iran is about $200 million a year, while Iran is doing its best to increase this amount it to $1 billion, IRNA reported.