DUSHANBE, September 14, Asia-Plus - Cooperation between business circles of Tajikistan and Iran were in the center of discussions of Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) head Sharif Saidov with a delegation of businessmen from Iran’s province of Yazd led Said Ahmad Mirza, director of the consulting and commercial company “Daniyal Pars”, that were held in Dushanbe on September 13.  

In the course of the talks the sides discussed issues related to expansion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries at the regional level and expansion of direct ties between Tajik and Iranian businesspeople.  They outlined several priorities and main directions of cooperation between CCIs of Tajikistan and Iranian province of Yazd.  The sides agreed to make efforts to expand cooperation, especially in view of the great potential for cooperation in commerce and economy, and science and culture, according to the source.  

Businessmen from the Iranian province of Yazd are interested in expanding of trade and economic cooperation with Tajik regions.  They expressed readiness to launch joint ventures in Tajikistan and expand bilateral cooperation in the manufacturing sector in construction, energy, transportation and tourism.    

Tajikistan’s CCI head offered the Iranian side to hold exhibition and business forum of entrepreneurs from Tajikistan and the Iranian province of Yazd in Tajikistan in the next spring.  

According to data of Tajikistan’s State Committee for Statistics, compared to January-July of last year a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Iran over the first seven months of 2006 has increased by 29.4 percent and amounted to US$48,116,200.  This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Iran estimated at US$32,508,400 and Tajikistan’s imports from Iran worth US$15,607,800.