New agreements between Iraq and Iran on facilitating trade, 2 MAY

 New agreements between Iraq and Iran on facilitating trade

Iranian media reported today, Wednesday (May 1, 2024), that Iraq and Iran have reached new agreements on facilitating trade movement between the two countries.

Mohammad Rezvani Far, Deputy Minister of Economy and Director General of Iranian Customs, and Hassan Hammoud Hassani, Advisor to the Ministry of Finance and Director General of Iraqi Customs, emphasized the facilitation of trade in addition to the new customs agreements between the two countries.

The Iranian official agency, according to what was translated by “Baghdad Today”, quoted Radwani as saying, “This meeting along the long borders and near 5 important provinces bordering Iran and Iraq, which requires doubling trade between Iran and Iraq, and developing relations, coordination and cooperation.”

Radwani added, "Regular border meetings between border customs directors in the two countries can contribute to the effectiveness of this cooperation," indicating that "Iranian Customs is fully prepared to exchange customs information with Iraqi Customs in order to facilitate and develop trade."

The Iranian official considered that "exchanging and coordinating procedures and policies and applying similar methods at various border points, in addition to matching working days and hours in customs offices in the two countries, is important and vital for trade exchange."

The Iranian Deputy Minister of Economy called for "expediting notification of changes in customs procedures and regulations in the two countries."

Radwanifar stated that “the cornerstone of customs policies to facilitate and develop trade lies in the World Customs Organization,” noting “the importance of this organization,” calling for “consensus and consultation among Islamic countries in promoting common goals and interests.”

For his part, the head of the Iraqi Customs Authority, Hassan Hamoud Hassani, described the Iranian side as “one of Iraq’s most important trading partners, and included developing trade relations between the two countries as one of his country’s priorities.”

He expressed his satisfaction with “the progress of customs cooperation between the two countries,” expressing his hope to “follow up on common issues with continued cooperation and exchange of views.”

The head of Iraqi customs promised to "continue coordination between his government and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government in order to implement customs unity in these two regions."

Hassani also expressed his regret "about the phenomenon of fuel smuggling at the common border crossings between the two countries," adding that "Iraqi customs will cooperate with the Iranian side in resolving this problem."

It is noteworthy that during the meeting, it was agreed to sign an agreement on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs affairs between the governments of the two countries, with the aim of facilitating the electronic exchange of customs information and providing facilities in performing customs procedures at the border level of the two countries, and agreeing to sign an agreement to facilitate the temporary entry of goods vehicles between Iran and Iraq. And the establishment of a designated parking lot outside the customs borders of the two countries in order to prevent the risks resulting from the stopping of trucks carrying fuel materials in the border area, as well as the establishment of representatives of the organizations that issue import licenses, including standards, health and quarantine units, and related organizations in the Iraqi border customs, among others. linK