BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 19. Uzbekistan and
Iran discussed ways to expand bilateral trade, investment and
transport cooperation as the two countries seek to strengthen
economic ties and increase the flow of goods between them.
This was reflected in the statement by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Uzbekistan, following a meeting between Uzbekistan’s
First Deputy Foreign Minister Bakhromjon Aloyev and Hamid Kanbari,
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Trade and Economic Affairs, in
Tehran on August 17.
The officials reviewed the current state and prospects of trade,
economic and investment cooperation, with particular attention to
increasing bilateral trade volumes and broadening the range of
goods exchanged between the two countries.
The sides also discussed the need to strengthen contacts between
Uzbek and Iranian businesses, which could help identify new
investment opportunities and facilitate the launch of joint
projects.
“Particular attention was paid to the development of transport
and transit cooperation, improving the efficiency of existing
routes and creating favorable conditions for increasing cargo
transportation volumes between Uzbekistan and Iran,” the Uzbek
Foreign Ministry said.
Transport connectivity was a key element of the talks,
reflecting the importance of efficient transit routes for
Uzbekistan, a double-landlocked country seeking to diversify access
to international markets. For Iran, expanded transit cooperation
with Central Asian countries offers opportunities to strengthen its
role as a regional transportation hub linking Central Asia with
markets farther south and west.
The sides discussed measures to improve the performance of
existing transportation routes and create conditions for higher
cargo flows. More efficient logistics could support the expansion
of bilateral trade by reducing transportation barriers and
improving the reliability of supply chains.
The meeting also underscored the role of investment cooperation
in deepening economic relations. Expanding business-to-business
contacts could contribute to greater private-sector involvement and
help transform bilateral economic agreements into concrete
commercial projects.
Uzbekistan and Iran have been working to expand economic
cooperation across trade, investment and transportation, with
transit connectivity remaining an important area for further
development.
The latest talks in Tehran are expected to contribute to efforts
to increase mutual trade, diversify bilateral supplies and
strengthen economic links between the two countries.
