Joint Free Trade Zone

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian and Qatari officials have plans to set up a joint economic trade zone in Southern Iran, an official announced on Sunday.
"Iran and Qatar have made general agreements to create a joint economic trade zone in Iran," member of the Presiding Board of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Mohammad Hossein Barkhordar said.
He said that the joint economic trade zone will be established in the Southern province of Bushehr and other adjacent provinces.
Barkhordar underlined that development of foreign trade, specially with the regional and neighboring states, can further improve the country's economy.
In relevant remarks yesterday, Iranian President's Advisor and Secretary of Free Zones Coordination Council Ali Akbar Torkan announced that Iran and Qatar plan to increase the volume of their trade transactions through setting up joint economic trade zones in Bushehr and in two Qatari ports.
"A piece of land in Bushehr and two pieces of land in Qatar; one in Al-Ruwais port and another in Doha city, have been allocated for trade transactions between the two countries," Torkan said on Saturday.
The Iranian president's advisor pointed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Tehran and Doha, and said, "According to the MoU, we plan to export to Qatar foodstuff, agricultural products, fruits, meat, chicken, shrimp, minerals, construction materials, cement, tile, ceramic and sanitary equipment."
He underlined that all transactions between Iran and Qatar will take place within FOB and C&F contracts.
During a visit to Qatar on July 1-2, Torkan signed an MoU with senior Qatari officials on trade transactions.
"During Torkan's ongoing visit to Doha, establishment of a joint free zone by the two countries was discussed in a meeting between Torkan and Qatari ministers and officials," the public relations of Iran's Free Zones Coordination Council said in a report earlier.
Torkan and his accompanying delegation visited Qatar's free economic zones and were briefed about them by the Qatari traders who had previously travelled to Iran's Bushehr province and Qeshm Free Zone.
Last month, Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Bin Abdullah Bin Mutib al-Rumaihi underlined Doha's determination to persuade the Qataris to invest in Iran's Persian Gulf Qeshm Island.
The Qatari deputy foreign minister's remarks came after he and his accompanying delegation visited Qeshm Island in June.
Al-Rumaihi voiced Doha's enthusiasm for utilizing Iran's valuable experiences in different industrial, commercial, and economic domains.
The Qatari official further added that in the trip, the delegation got more acquainted with the economic and trade capacities of Qeshm Island.
Both Iran and Qatar have recently augmented efforts to further expand ties and cooperation in all the different political, economic, defense, security and cultural fields.
The two Persian Gulf littoral states recently signed several protocols to increase mutual cooperation.
Fars News