Syria, Iran Discuss the Operation of Joint Shipping Line

TEHRAN, (ST) – The Commercial Attaché at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus Ali Kazemeyni said that “the subject of operating the navigation line between Iran and Syria is under discussion,” expressing hope to speed up the operation of this line through the existing cooperation between the two countries.

During a meeting with a group of Syrian businessmen in Tehran yesterday Mr. Kazemeyni added that: “the level of trade exchange between the two countries is up to one billion dollars and operating the shipping line will increase the volume of trade exchange between the two countries.”

“Iran’s economic presence in Syria is limited to the export of technical and engineering services,” stressing that “the security situation in Syria is much better than the situation in Iraq and the Iranian private sector can enter the Syrian market without facing any problems,” Mr. Kazemeyni pointed out.

He noted that the situation is ripe for the Iranian economists to enter the Syrian market and contribute to the reconstruction and called for the promotion of economic relations between the two countries in all fields.

Iran has become a key Syrian economic partner in all sectors, especially the energy and auto sectors where Iran last year opened a line of credit worth 3.6 billion dollars to Syria, whereas banking arrangements were signed between the Central Bank of Iran and the Central Bank of Syria for the implementation of the credit line agreement.

Sharif al -Khatib