Azerbaijan, Iran discuss bilateral relations in Baku

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iran were in spotlight during Baku meetings, as an Iranian delegation led by Governor General of Ardabil province of Iran visits the country.

Majid Khodabakhsh aims to discuss the possibilities of expanding cooperation in economy and eye other issues of mutual interest.

During the Baku visit, the Iranian delegation was first received by President Ilham Aliyev, who hailed bilateral relations between the two countries as excellent.

Underlining the importance of numerous meetings on the presidential level in recent years, the head of state noted that both countries spared no efforts to develop bilateral ties.

Pointing to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's successful visit to Azerbaijan this August, President Ilham Aliyev noted that bilateral and trilateral issues were discussed during the visit, which aimed to further develop Azerbaijan-Iran relations, and bring the two nations closer to each other.

Majid Khodabakhsh, for his part, mentioned his first visit to Azerbaijan in 1990-1991, noting he witnessed rapid development processes.

The sides exchanged views on the expansion of cooperation between the two countries' regions in a variety of fields, including mutual investment and tourism.

Later on this day, Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev met with the Iranian delegation.

Mustafayev stressed the role of reciprocal visits of the Azerbaijani and Iranian leaders, bilateral meetings and the documents signed in the development of relations between the two countries.

He said the volume of trade turnover between the two countries in January-August increased to a large extent. The ties in energy, transport, agricultural areas, tourism and healthcare spheres continue successfully.

Mustafayev also touched upon the project on construction of a railway bridge over the Astara river, which is one of the important components of the North-South international transport corridor with the length of 8.3 km.

Moreover, he mentioned the construction of a plant on production of medicine in Azerbaijan by Iranian company. Iran with its modern pharmaceutical system has 100-year experience in this sector, while the country experienced a sharp growth last year, rising to $1.2 billion.

The minister emphasized that Iranian companies will also be able to use the opportunities of Pirallahi industrial park to be specialized in the field of pharmaceuticals.

Stressing that the foundation for the automobile plant, a joint project has been laid in Neftchala industrial area, Mustafayev invited Iranian companies and businessmen from the province of Ardabil to use the opportunities created in industrial areas of the country.

The history of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan has a particular specificity, causing all stages of the development of bilateral relations. The present Iranian administration’s policy of improving international relations, Tehran’s pursuit of win-win situations, and a political will shared by Iran and Azerbaijan have improved the chances of growing economic ties between the two neighboring countries.

The volume of trade turnover between the two countries soared by 70 percent over the first seven months of the current year.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran amounted to $105.7 million in January-July 2016, more than $77 million of which accounted for imports from Iran, according to Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee. Azerbaijan's exports to Iran almost doubled to $14.4 million in the first quarter of 2016, while imports increased from $19.4 million in 2015 to $27 million in 2016.

Agriculture, banking sector, pharmaceutics, as well as cooperation in the international North-South transport corridor are the main areas that the two states are focused on.