TEHRAN - Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Hosseini has offered his government’s support to complete Iran-Pakistan (IP) Gas Pipeline project and hinted to extend cooperation in other fields of mutual interest.

In an interview with the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Hosseini said Iran welcomes strengthen of mutual trade cooperation with Pakistan, adding that the country is willing for the completion of energy projects, especially the IP gas pipeline.

The official also expressed the Islamic Republic’s support for the establishment of border markets; finalization of a free trade agreement, and collaboration on major ports and security areas, APP reported.

He added that there were no sanctions on the export of gas from Iran, and Pakistan could take full benefit of it to fulfill its energy needs. The IP gas pipeline is a key project in that regard and both countries realize its importance.

The gas pipeline project is being deliberated by a technical committee, he said, adding its completion would also open new avenues for mutual cooperation between the two countries.

The ambassador said Iran was already exporting 100 megawatts of electricity to Pakistan for meeting the power needs (of its bordering areas) and the figure could be increased in the future.

He added that work was also going on another project to provide electricity to Pakistan. Both countries have taken initial steps in that regard.

Ambassador Hosseini identified opportunities for investors of both countries in various trade sectors, particularly the industrial zones.

Highlighting the role of the two countries in regional economic and trade integration, he said that North-South and East-West corridors would not only connect Pakistan to Iran but also help the former’s trade and economic integration with Central Asia, Europe, West Asia, and Russia.

He noted that the two countries were making joint efforts to achieve the target of enhancing their mutual trade to $5 billion.

Both Pakistan and Iran are geographically very important countries and their mutual cooperation is of utmost importance to make it useful for their geo-economic interests, he further noted.

The ambassador said the two countries could find ways for mutual economic partnership and trade. There is the possibility of opening a banking channel in the near future, he added.

He said barter trade between the two countries could be promoted as “we have the example of mutual trade in rice and meat”.

Regarding the measures taken on the Pakistan-Iran border, he said new crossing points had been opened. The two countries are committed to providing more facilities at the crossing points to not only facilitate the movement of people but also transit trade.

He said it was decided in principle to set up six border markets in order to promote mutual trade relations.

The Pishin border market has been completed and its inauguration is on the agenda, the official said, adding that the work on Gabd, Rimdan, and Kohak markets would start soon.

About the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the ambassador said several rounds of negotiations have taken place between the two countries. Mutual trade lists have been exchanged, with consensus developed on trade items, he added.

He recalled that the two countries signed a Preferential Trade Agreement in March 2004, which, he said, required to be reviewed and made more effective.

The envoy stressed the need for tariff rationalization and other reforms to enhance the volume of mutual trade to $5 billion.

with regard to the two countries’ role in the promotion of regional trade, the ambassador said the Pakistan-Iran-Turkey train link has been restored, which would not only promote economic and trade relations among the three countries but also increase regional economic and trade integration.

The three governments have agreed to equip the train route with facilities, which would promote mutual trade and goods trade operation, he added.

He said the Taftan-Quetta train section needed to be repaired, and Iran and Pakistan have reached a consensus to do that.

He said the train route among Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey could play a very important role in regional trade integration as it could connect Central Asia, West Asia, and Europe economically and commercially.

He said Iranians had expertise in train and wagon production, and transportation, which is very important for transit trade.

To a question, the Iranian ambassador said direct air connectivity between Tehran and Islamabad, and other big cities of the two countries was very important for the promotion of mutual relations.

He said there was a lot of potential in religious tourism in both countries.

The ambassador said for the promotion of e-commerce trade between the two countries, the young population should be involved.

Similarly, he said, cooperation between the chambers and business communities of the two countries would promote cordial relations on both sides.

TEHRAN - Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Hosseini has offered his government’s support to complete Iran-Pakistan (IP) Gas Pipeline project and hinted to extend cooperation in other fields of mutual interest.

In an interview with the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Hosseini said Iran welcomes strengthen of mutual trade cooperation with Pakistan, adding that the country is willing for the completion of energy projects, especially the IP gas pipeline.

The official also expressed the Islamic Republic’s support for the establishment of border markets; finalization of a free trade agreement, and collaboration on major ports and security areas, APP reported.

He added that there were no sanctions on the export of gas from Iran, and Pakistan could take full benefit of it to fulfill its energy needs. The IP gas pipeline is a key project in that regard and both countries realize its importance.

The gas pipeline project is being deliberated by a technical committee, he said, adding its completion would also open new avenues for mutual cooperation between the two countries.

The ambassador said Iran was already exporting 100 megawatts of electricity to Pakistan for meeting the power needs (of its bordering areas) and the figure could be increased in the future.

He added that work was also going on another project to provide electricity to Pakistan. Both countries have taken initial steps in that regard.

Ambassador Hosseini identified opportunities for investors of both countries in various trade sectors, particularly the industrial zones.

Highlighting the role of the two countries in regional economic and trade integration, he said that North-South and East-West corridors would not only connect Pakistan to Iran but also help the former’s trade and economic integration with Central Asia, Europe, West Asia, and Russia.

He noted that the two countries were making joint efforts to achieve the target of enhancing their mutual trade to $5 billion.

Both Pakistan and Iran are geographically very important countries and their mutual cooperation is of utmost importance to make it useful for their geo-economic interests, he further noted.

The ambassador said the two countries could find ways for mutual economic partnership and trade. There is the possibility of opening a banking channel in the near future, he added.

He said barter trade between the two countries could be promoted as “we have the example of mutual trade in rice and meat”.

Regarding the measures taken on the Pakistan-Iran border, he said new crossing points had been opened. The two countries are committed to providing more facilities at the crossing points to not only facilitate the movement of people but also transit trade.

He said it was decided in principle to set up six border markets in order to promote mutual trade relations.

The Pishin border market has been completed and its inauguration is on the agenda, the official said, adding that the work on Gabd, Rimdan, and Kohak markets would start soon.

About the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the ambassador said several rounds of negotiations have taken place between the two countries. Mutual trade lists have been exchanged, with consensus developed on trade items, he added.

He recalled that the two countries signed a Preferential Trade Agreement in March 2004, which, he said, required to be reviewed and made more effective.

The envoy stressed the need for tariff rationalization and other reforms to enhance the volume of mutual trade to $5 billion.

with regard to the two countries’ role in the promotion of regional trade, the ambassador said the Pakistan-Iran-Turkey train link has been restored, which would not only promote economic and trade relations among the three countries but also increase regional economic and trade integration.

The three governments have agreed to equip the train route with facilities, which would promote mutual trade and goods trade operation, he added.

He said the Taftan-Quetta train section needed to be repaired, and Iran and Pakistan have reached a consensus to do that.

He said the train route among Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey could play a very important role in regional trade integration as it could connect Central Asia, West Asia, and Europe economically and commercially.

He said Iranians had expertise in train and wagon production, and transportation, which is very important for transit trade.

To a question, the Iranian ambassador said direct air connectivity between Tehran and Islamabad, and other big cities of the two countries was very important for the promotion of mutual relations.

He said there was a lot of potential in religious tourism in both countries.

The ambassador said for the promotion of e-commerce trade between the two countries, the young population should be involved.

Similarly, he said, cooperation between the chambers and business communities of the two countries would promote cordial relations on both sides.

TEHRAN— Heading a delegation, Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Rostam Qasemi has traveled to Baku to attend a tripartite meeting with Russia and Azerbaijan intended to assess ways to enhance economic ties between the three regional powerhouses.

As IRIB reported, developing the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the completion of the Rasht-Astara railway are among the main issues that will be discussed at this meeting.

Speaking to the press upon leaving Tehran for Baku, Qasemi said: “In this tripartite meeting, we will discuss the issues regarding the transportation and transit of goods in the North-South corridor.”

Earlier this month, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, Iranian ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan met Shahin Mustafayev, deputy prime minister and the Azerbaijani Chairman of the Joint Economic Commission with Iran.

In this meeting, discussions were held regarding the latest developments in economic and trade relations between the two countries, as well as joint projects, especially in the field of transportation.

In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times published on August 2, Mousavi named a few projects besides the North-South corridor as major joint projects between Tehran and Baku.

“As I said, our relationship with the Republic of Azerbaijan is one of kinship and neighborliness. Many people tried to influence this relationship and prevent it from being warm. It is natural that if two Muslim countries are close to each other, many people will be unhappy and upset. We do not want to please anyone,” the diplomat said of Iran-Azerbaijan ties.

He then noted, “We have big joint projects. We are building a new and big bridge in Astara, and if this bridge is inaugurated by the end of this year, the volume of transit between Iran and Azerbaijan, which is about 200 trucks per day from the Astara region, can reach 800 or even 1000. We are pursuing a joint dam construction project.”

SCO countries experts to discuss information security issues

Scientific and expert forum on information security of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in Tashkent on 6 September.

The event is held by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the support of the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan together with the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

The dialogue on information security issues, organized in a hybrid format with online connection of foreign participants, plans to bring together more than 30 leading experts from the representatives of relevant ministries and departments, scientific, academic and analytical circles of the SCO member states.

The representative composition of the participants will allow discussing the latest trends and achievements in the field of digitalization, as well as exchanging best national experience in countering threats to information and cyber security in the context of ensuring human rights and the rule of law in the SCO space.

The initiative to hold this Forum was put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Dushanbe SCO summit on 17 September 2021.

Given the observed steady growth in the adoption of digital technologies and online activity around the world, the organization of this event is very relevant. Since the rapid digitalization of the life of society, business and the state raises a number of objective problems. In particular, the pandemic caused a sharp increase in cybercrime in the information space. According to experts, in 2021 the number of cyber attacks in the world increased by 50% compared to 2020. The damage from cybercrime in 2021 exceeded US$6 trillion compared to US$3 trillion in 2015.

The problem of protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats remains relevant. According to experts, the most frequently attacked sectors are energy, industry, defense and the public sector.

Along with this, the information space began to be regarded by extremist ideologists as the most attractive platform for conducting ideological propaganda.

The above negative trends require the SCO member states to develop comprehensive approaches to protecting cyberspace and ensuring information security. The cross-border nature of these threats dictates the need to complement national efforts with joint actions at the regional and international levels.

It should also be emphasized that today the SCO has already established cooperation on issues of ensuring international information security. Since 2006, Expert Group on International Information Security has been functioning within the framework of the SCO, which is a permanent body of the SCO and coordinates relevant ministries and departments.

In turn, the Agreement among the Governments of the SCO Member States in the field of ensuring international information security, signed on June 16, 2009 is the basis for cooperation in the field of information security.

In November 2020, the Joint Statement of the Heads of SCO Member States on Cooperation in Ensuring International Information Security was adopted.

In 2021, following the results of the anniversary SCO summit in Dushanbe, Plan of Interaction on ensuring international information security for 2022-2023 was signed, developed with the active participation of Uzbekistan.

Currently, without exception, all SCO countries are implementing national strategic and conceptual documents aimed at developing a digital society, transferring public administration, financial and economic sectors to digital format.

In this context, the important and timely initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to hold a forum will allow the participants to develop specific proposals and practical recommendations for the formation of a unified policy to counter threats and challenges in the field of information security, as well as agree on common approaches to ensure free and unhindered access to information for citizens SCO countries.

Scientific and expert forum on information security of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in Tashkent on 6 September.

The event is held by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the support of the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan together with the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

The dialogue on information security issues, organized in a hybrid format with online connection of foreign participants, plans to bring together more than 30 leading experts from the representatives of relevant ministries and departments, scientific, academic and analytical circles of the SCO member states.

The representative composition of the participants will allow discussing the latest trends and achievements in the field of digitalization, as well as exchanging best national experience in countering threats to information and cyber security in the context of ensuring human rights and the rule of law in the SCO space.

The initiative to hold this Forum was put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Dushanbe SCO summit on 17 September 2021.

Given the observed steady growth in the adoption of digital technologies and online activity around the world, the organization of this event is very relevant. Since the rapid digitalization of the life of society, business and the state raises a number of objective problems. In particular, the pandemic caused a sharp increase in cybercrime in the information space. According to experts, in 2021 the number of cyber attacks in the world increased by 50% compared to 2020. The damage from cybercrime in 2021 exceeded US$6 trillion compared to US$3 trillion in 2015.

The problem of protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats remains relevant. According to experts, the most frequently attacked sectors are energy, industry, defense and the public sector.

Along with this, the information space began to be regarded by extremist ideologists as the most attractive platform for conducting ideological propaganda.

The above negative trends require the SCO member states to develop comprehensive approaches to protecting cyberspace and ensuring information security. The cross-border nature of these threats dictates the need to complement national efforts with joint actions at the regional and international levels.

It should also be emphasized that today the SCO has already established cooperation on issues of ensuring international information security. Since 2006, Expert Group on International Information Security has been functioning within the framework of the SCO, which is a permanent body of the SCO and coordinates relevant ministries and departments.

In turn, the Agreement among the Governments of the SCO Member States in the field of ensuring international information security, signed on June 16, 2009 is the basis for cooperation in the field of information security.

In November 2020, the Joint Statement of the Heads of SCO Member States on Cooperation in Ensuring International Information Security was adopted.

In 2021, following the results of the anniversary SCO summit in Dushanbe, Plan of Interaction on ensuring international information security for 2022-2023 was signed, developed with the active participation of Uzbekistan.

Currently, without exception, all SCO countries are implementing national strategic and conceptual documents aimed at developing a digital society, transferring public administration, financial and economic sectors to digital format.

In this context, the important and timely initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to hold a forum will allow the participants to develop specific proposals and practical recommendations for the formation of a unified policy to counter threats and challenges in the field of information security, as well as agree on common approaches to ensure free and unhindered access to information for citizens SCO countries.

Iran’s trade with Turkmenistan during the first half of 2022 has already surpassed the entirety of bilateral trade last year.

Iranian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Gholam Abbas Arbab Khales told IRNA news agency on Monday that trade between the two countries during the first six months of 2022 amounted to $233 million.

This is while bilateral trade between Iran and Turkmenistan during the entire 2021 amounted to $227 million.

Arbab khales said that the boom in Iran’s trade with Turkmenistan is taking place in line with President Ebrahim Raeisi’s foreign policy of reaching out to the neighboring countries.

He also noted that Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow picked Iran as the destination for his second foreign visit following Russia after being elected to the post which is a significant signal of his attention to expansion of ties with Tehran. 

Iran’s trade with Turkmenistan during the first half of 2022 has already surpassed the entirety of bilateral trade last year.

Iranian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Gholam Abbas Arbab Khales told IRNA news agency on Monday that trade between the two countries during the first six months of 2022 amounted to $233 million.

This is while bilateral trade between Iran and Turkmenistan during the entire 2021 amounted to $227 million.

Arbab khales said that the boom in Iran’s trade with Turkmenistan is taking place in line with President Ebrahim Raeisi’s foreign policy of reaching out to the neighboring countries.

He also noted that Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow picked Iran as the destination for his second foreign visit following Russia after being elected to the post which is a significant signal of his attention to expansion of ties with Tehran. 

A new report by Turkish Statistical Institute suggests that Iran’s exports to Turkey in the first seven months of 2022 has grown by 56% compared to the same period in 2021.

The report also shows that Iran’s total trade with Turkey stood at $3.84 billion in the period under review up 33% in comparison to $2.87 billion of the same period of the preceding year.  

Turkey’s exports to Iran stood at $1.7 billion in the mentioned period registering a 13% year-on-year increase, the report said.

It also added that Turkey’s imports from neighboring Iran totaled $2.14 billion in the seven-month period showing some 56% growth in comparison to the same period of the preceding year.

Iran registered a $443 million surplus in the seven-month trade with Turkey, the figures suggested. 

A new report by Turkish Statistical Institute suggests that Iran’s exports to Turkey in the first seven months of 2022 has grown by 56% compared to the same period in 2021.

The report also shows that Iran’s total trade with Turkey stood at $3.84 billion in the period under review up 33% in comparison to $2.87 billion of the same period of the preceding year.  

Turkey’s exports to Iran stood at $1.7 billion in the mentioned period registering a 13% year-on-year increase, the report said.

It also added that Turkey’s imports from neighboring Iran totaled $2.14 billion in the seven-month period showing some 56% growth in comparison to the same period of the preceding year.

Iran registered a $443 million surplus in the seven-month trade with Turkey, the figures suggested. 

TEHRAN – Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam-Hossein Shafeie has said the country’s industrial sector is in urgent need of technological improvement and modernization, the ICCIMA portal reported.

Speaking in a meeting with the members of the Parliament Planning and Budget Committee on Saturday, Shafeie said that technological upgrading and modernization of machinery is a great need of the industry sector, which will practically face a dead end with the cancellation of the tax exemption for the import of machinery.

Referring to the challenges of the industrial sector in the country’s current economic conditions, the ICCIMA head said: “One of our important issues in the production and industry sector is the serious technology gap compared to global competitors. On the other hand, the depreciation of machinery has caused the cost of production to increase significantly and the conditions for competition to become even harder.”

Mentioning a decision for the cancellation of the tax exemption for the imports of industrial machinery, the official said that this issue has caused serious concerns for the country’s productive sector because if the importers of machinery are not exempted from paying tax it won’t be economically justifiable for them to continue to do so.

“Although there are discussions to amend this decision and some measures have also been taken, there is still a serious concern in this regard for the country's productive sector, and the parliament can play a very important role in this regard,” Shafeie added.

Referring to the possibility of the JCPOA talks reaching an agreement, the ICCIMA head underlined the necessity of having foresight in this regard and emphasized: “if an agreement is reached, the result for the country will be the increase of oil revenues; so, there is the concern that the same strategies as before will be followed and the generated revenues will not be allocated enough to the development of productive and infrastructure sectors.”

“The Planning and Budget Committee should take the necessary measures in this regard so that the mentioned capital is directed to the productive and infrastructure sectors,” he stressed.