Aref, who hosted Kurdatov in Tehran on Thursday, said that Iran eyes the $5 billion trade with Uzbekistan, which was proposed by Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.
The fact that the two governments are dissatisfied with the current level of trade, which stands at several hundred million dollars, and are determined to boost it was also emphasized during a meeting between Iranian and Uzbek presidents in Ashkhabad earlier in October, Aref said.
“This amount of trade exchange deserves in no way the two great nations of Iran and Uzbekistan. Considering the extensive capacities and capabilities of the two governments and the long-running cultural commonality between the two nations, we can be complementary economies,” the Iranian official said.
“We should make efforts and work non-stop to increase trade exchanges to $5 billion, as proposed by Mr. Aripov,” he added.
The VP proposed the use of preferential trade tariffs and applying them to a variety of goods, as a way to facilitate and boost trade between the two countries. As another way to facilitate trade, he asked for the opening of Bank Saderat in Uzbekistan.
Tehran has already canceled via issuance for Uzbek citizens to travel to Iran, Aref said, calling on Uzbekistan to do the same for Iranian nationals in a bid to facilitate travels between the two countries and help boost tourism as well as technical and scientific cooperation.
Uzbekistan’s trade minister said that he visited Iran on President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s special order, adding “Both countries make efforts to open a new chapter in their strong ties.”
Laziz Kurdatov announced his country’s readiness to work hard to increase bilateral trade. On using preferential trade, he said that the work should be done stage by stage.
On the method to pay for goods and services, the Uzbek minister said that a firm basis is required to be created in order for the whole process to progress well, proposing the use of Iranian and Uzbek national currencies as well as China’s yuan or Russia’s ruble.
He also said that Uzbekistan will make efforts to develop interactions between its central bank and Iran’s Bank Saderat.
Kurdatov explained that his country is making rapid economic growth, and compared with its neighbors, has a higher capability to import oil and metals from Iran.
Uzbekistan is among a few countries that can do exports to Europe without requiring to pay taxes and tariffs, the minister said, adding that such exemption is currently applied to 6,200 items of Uzbek goods being exported to Europe.
If Iran and Uzbekistan make a joint investment and launch production lines on their soil or in a third country, both of them can do that kind of export to Europe and act in a complementary way, Kurdatov noted.
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