Ilam - Head of Ilam province Customs Administration said here Saturday that over dlrs 29 million of non-oil products were exported to Iraq from Mehran Customs checkpoint since the beginning of the current year (started March 20).
Mohsen Jameh-Bozorgi told IRNA that the exports weighed 219,000 tons.
He added that the primary products included cement, beverages, and plastic materials. "Iranian businessmen and their Iraqi counterparts are keen in expansion of bilateral investments and trade relations." Over 250 truck-load of goods are exported from Mehran customs to Iraqi cities from Mehran border checkpoints daily, Jameh-Bozorgi underlined.
Mehran border checkpoint is one of Iran's busiest customs for pilgrims visiting Iraq and exports to the country.
"Last year the total exports to Iraq from Mehran customs stood at dlrs 80 million," he said.
Official figures estimate the value of Iran's exports to Iraq to amount to one billion dollars this year compared 800 million dollars last year.
Detergents, vegetable oil, construction materials, household appliances, and carpets would be the most important items to be exported to Iraq.
Iranian and the visiting Iraqi commercial delegation have held 50 rounds of discussions on ways to promote mutual trade.
The two sides have signed agreements for cooperation in seven different fields, including establishment of auto manufacturing units as well as the detergent plants in Iraq as well as reconstruction of the country's textile industries.
Iran and Iraq here last Sunday signed a memorandum of
understanding on expansion of bilateral cooperation in various trade and commercial fields.
According to the MoU, inked by the visiting Iraqi Minister of Trade Abd al-Basti Karim Mawlud and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Shariatmadari, the two sides will boost commercial exchanges.
Based on the MoU, the two countries expressed readiness to sign free trade agreements, facilitate issuance of trade visas, hold exclusive exhibitions, facilitate rendering of technical and engineering services and make joint investment in infrastructural projects.
Development of border markets and their importance in expansion of trade and economic ties, setting up Iran's trade bureau in Baghdad and cooperation of the Iraqi side in this regard were among other issues agreed upon by the two sides.
The MoU also stressed Iran's readiness to export automobile, cement, steel and petrochemical products to Iraq.
© IRNA 2005
