Javad Kachoueian Senior fellow of the Institute for political and International Studies (IPIS) said in his speech titled "Iranian Perspective on Regional Trade and Transportation Initiatives at the Margalla Dialogue 2019" that Iran is at the crossroads of the world corridor because of its strategic location.
The two-day dialogue was organized by the Islamabad Policy and Research Institute on "Peace and Development in South Asia, Middle East, Central Asia."
Javad Kachoueian said that security, peace and development are intertwined, and to achieve it you need to have comprehensive interactive and productive cooperation with each other.
“Peace, security and development in these geographical regions, impact the world and is extremely important,” he pointed out.
The diplomat said, "We have always considered security, peace and stability and the development of our peripheral countries, equal to our own security and development."
“We have also always been an active and effective contributor to peace, security and development in the regions of west of Asia, central Asia and Indian subcontinent,” he said.
The diplomat said that over the past 40 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has sought to play an appropriate role and contribution to cooperation on three important areas, including in the fields of trade, energy, investment, banking and financial cooperation as well as implementation of development projects.
“Iran has also provided its land, sea and rail transport infrastructure and also transit capacity, to achieve this goal,” noted the former ambassador.
He added that the North-South International Transport Corridor (NOSTRAC) is one of the most important trade routes between Asia and Europe, up to 40% shorter and 30% cheaper in terms of distance and time than traditional routes.
He was of the view that the interconnection between the Gulf of Oman and the Chabahar port on the east coast of the Makran Sea or the Arabian Sea plays an important role in the exchange of goods to the east of the country and our neighbors in Central and Eastern Asia.
The diplomat said that this important international corridor currently has 10 members, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman and Syria. Bulgaria is an observer.
“This corridor is one of the 10 railway and hybrid rail corridors defined at the European and Asian Transport Conference,” he said.
Javad Kachoueian said the Islamic Republic of Iran plays an important role for the economic and security stability of the region by establishing 10 north-south and east-west corridors with a total of 21,000 kilometers.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been at the forefront in establishing friendly, fraternal and balanced relations, based on the principles of mutual respect and common interest with all countries in the regions,” he added.
The diplomat, responding to a question, said that Iran needs common and good-neighborly relations helping resolve our problems through negotiations.
He said that Iran is ready to reach visa waiver agreements with the neighboring states.
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