Head of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce says the two countries are taking new steps to boost bilateral trade and have already launched a direct shipping line in a bid to achieve this goal.
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Asadollah Asgarowladi was quoted by Fars news agency as saying that Tehran and Moscow are bent on further expansion of bilateral trade in all fields and in addition to launching the shipping line, are planning to open a direct airline between the two countries in a month.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines has already launched a direct shipping line which connects Iran's Caspian ports to their Russian counterparts. There was no such direct shipping line between the two countries in past years,” Asgarowladi said.
The official noted that negotiations have been conducted with officials of Taban Airlines in order to launch direct flights between the Iranian city of Rasht and Russia’s Astrakhan port city.
“An agreement has been signed in this regard and the direct flights are expected to start in a month from now,” he added.
The head of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce noted that Tehran and Moscow have also signed an agreement to pave the way for the export of Iran's livestock products, especially chicken meat, to Russia.
“Since there are at least 10 companies producing dairy products in Iran…we have asked the minister of agriculture jihad to provide suitable grounds for all 10 companies to export their products to Russia,” he said.
In late May, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported that the country has given the go-ahead to imports of dairy and poultry products from a number of Iranian companies.
"We gave permission to six Iranian companies for delivery of food products: four dairy producers, and two poultry producers," the news agency quoted press secretary of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Yulia Melano, as saying.
The decision came after Russia banned imports of meat and dairy products as well as fruits, vegetables, and fish from Europe, the US, Canada and Australia, when those countries imposed sanctions against Russia claiming that Moscow had a hand in the ongoing unrest in the eastern part of Ukraine.
Russia has categorically rejected the accusation blaming the West for the worsening crisis in Ukraine and imposing countersanctions on the US and the EU.
/SR
