Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq have vowed to expand bilateral trade relations and cooperation in the field of agriculture.

Speaking in a meeting with Iraqi Ambassador to Iran Naseer Abdul Mohsen Abdullah in Tehran on Sunday, Alimorad Sarafrazi the Director-General of Ministry of Agriculture for Specialized Organizations and International Affairs emphasized the need for the expansion of scientific, technical and trade relations between Iran and Iraq.

Turning to the very close and vast relations between the two countries of Iran and Iraq especially in the agricultural field, he stressed the need to set up various specialized working groups in the field of agriculture.

He then referred to some challenges and obstacles in the field of trade relations between the two countries and stated that improving and establishing mechanisms for plant quarantine, monitoring animal health at common borders of the two countries, creating unity of procedure at different border crossings between the two countries and also promoting infrastructures for transporting goods between the two countries seem essential in that respect.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sarafrazi called for the timely announcement of bans and restrictions on the export of Iran's agricultural products to this country in order to prevent damage to Iranian exporters and producers as well as exchange of technical knowhow and knowledge in various sectors of the agricultural sector between the two countries.

Iraqi envoy to Tehran, for his part, pointed to the age-old and longstanding relations between the two countries of Iran and Iraq in political, economic, social and cultural fields especially in agricultural field and welcomed the proposal of Iranian side for setting up specialized working groups in the relevant field.