BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 24
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
Iran and Uzbekistan are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on the eTIR project and implement it as a pilot in the near future, Iranian Deputy Finance Minister and Director General of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Alireza Moghaddasi said, Trend reports citing the administration.
He made the remark during a meeting with Uzbek Deputy Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Bakhtiyor Rakhimov in Tehran.
Moghaddasi stressed that the thus, the customs cooperation between the two countries can be effectively developed. The Iranian government has made the development of trade and customs cooperation with friendly and neighboring countries a priority.
As many as 76 countries have signed the UN Global Transit System TIR Convention. These countries have agreed to facilitate the foreign trade and movement of products across the border through the eTIR system. The system will allow about 5 million trucks to cross the border quickly each year. The eTIR system reduces the time spent at border crossings by about 80 percent and costs by 38 percent.
Moghaddasi also added that it is possible to develop cooperation between the two countries through the exchange of information on combating smuggling, money laundering and counterfeiting.
During the meeting, Uzbek Deputy Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Bakhtiyor Rakhimov said that Uzbekistan is interested in developing customs and trade cooperation with Iran.
"With the signing of the bilateral cooperation agreement, the trade turnover between the two countries will increase," Rakhimov noted.
The value of Iran's foreign trade turnover with Uzbekistan for the first 9 months of the current Iranian year (March 21 through December 21, 2021) amounted to $407 million.
Over the mentioned period, Iran exported $310 million worth of goods to Uzbekistan and imported $97 million worth of goods from Uzbekistan.
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