Iran and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding on shipping cooperation in Tehran on Monday. Iranian Ports and Shipping Organization Director Ali Taheri Motlaq and his Turkish counterpart Hassan Nayeboghlu signed the MoU.
"The value of transited goods between Iran and Turkey is about $8.5 billion. Iran imports $6.5 billion worth of goods and exports about $2 billion to Turkey," Motlaq was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
Ankara has also said that it is ready to invest $10 billion in Iran, of which $6 billion will be on gas field development and pipeline construction.
Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler has said that his country is keen to participate in the development of Iran's South Pars gas field and facilitate the export of Iranian gas to Europe via Turkey.
Iran and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding last year to expand cooperation in the gas sector.
The $70-million purchase by the Turkish fertilizer production firm, Gubre Fabrikalari, of Iran's state-owned Razi Petrochemical Co. is indicative of foreign firms' interest in making investments in Iran. The transaction was in line with Iran's privatization policy and its plan to attract foreign investments.
Iran's role as a key energy supplier and growing trade partner make a deepening of diplomatic ties a necessity for Ankara. |
