A senior Iranian government official said the draft document for a long-anticipated free trade agreement between Iran and Venezuela would be finalized within the next two days.Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), made the announcement after a meeting with Venezuela’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Johann Alvarez to discuss expanding bilateral trade and finalizing the free trade deal.Praising Tehran-Caracas relations as “historic and friendly,” Dehnavi emphasized the importance of leveraging bilateral ties to enhance economic cooperation.“The agreement reflects a balanced and friendly approach. We want to see Venezuelan exports to Iran grow. Both countries have the potential to serve as trade gateways for one another in their respective continents,” the TPO chief said.“Iran and Venezuela can become trade bases for each other in Asia and South America.”The finalized agreement is to cover rules of origin, sanitary and safety requirements, and lists of goods in agriculture, fisheries, and industry. The deal is expected to be signed by the countries’ trade ministers once the final text is agreed upon.Dehnavi tied the success of the trade deal to broader goals, such as developing transport and logistics chains, attracting mutual investments, and initiating joint production.Calling Venezuela a market rich in new opportunities, Dehnavi said, “Venezuela’s rich resources have created investment opportunities in various sectors, and Iran can have an effective presence in many projects in the country.”Alvarez, for his part, stated that current trade volumes between the two countries do not reflect the strength of their political relationship.“This agreement is just the first step. Iranian and Venezuelan business communities need to engage directly to increase trade,” he said, adding that joint trade exhibitions and forums will be crucial in achieving the stated goal.The deputy minister also invited Iranian investors to participate in projects across Venezuela, pointing to the Latin American country’s abundant natural resources and readiness to attract foreign investment.The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to continue consultations to identify and advance shared economic opportunities. (ICE TEHERAN)

Fonte notizia: Iran Daily