The Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture hosted a high-level business delegation from Uzbekistan on Wednesday, led by Davron Vakhabov, president of the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as both nations seek to expand economic cooperation.

Qadir Qiafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the Uzbek delegation and expressed optimism that recent positive developments in both countries could lead to enhanced collaboration in industrial, commercial, and technological sectors.

Highlighting Uzbekistan’s strong presence at the upcoming Iran Expo, Qiafeh said: “With 200 Uzbek companies participating, we will certainly organize a side event during Iran Expo to facilitate direct engagement between Iranian and Uzbek business representatives so they can identify potential partners.”

Vakhabov noted that trade ties between Iran and Uzbekistan have grown in recent years, though he stressed that the full potential of bilateral cooperation remains untapped.

“With stronger cooperation between our chambers of commerce and private sectors, and the resolution of trade barriers by our governments, we believe bilateral trade could reach $5 billion by 2028,” he said.

Vakhabov emphasized Uzbekistan’s strategic role as a hub for manufacturing and re-exporting finished goods to third countries, adding that raw materials from Iran could be vital to fueling this growth.

Mousa Aghaei, Chairman of the Iran-Uzbekistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, echoed the need to elevate bilateral trade volumes, saying current figures do not reflect the depth of historical, cultural, and economic ties between the two nations.

Aghaei also called on banks in both countries to draw on their experience and consult with traders to devise solutions for easing financial transactions. He noted that Uzbekistan's exports to Iran suffer from a lack of diversity and said the joint chamber is ready to help promote Uzbek capabilities in the Iranian market.

He concluded by urging Uzbekistan to ease its visa policy for Iranian nationals, stating that the ultimate goal should be full visa exemption.

Iran aims to significantly boost trade with neighboring Azerbaijan in the coming years, building on a 2024 trade volume of around $900 million, the president of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture said at a bilateral business forum attended by the presidents of both countries.

Speaking at the Iran-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku on Monday, Samad Hassanzadeh expressed optimism about deepening economic ties between Tehran and Baku.

"Our goal is to increase the volume of trade to several billion dollars in the coming years," Hassanzadeh said. "This forum should mark a new chapter in strengthening our brotherly relations and expanding joint economic cooperation."

He said Iran’s private sector and business leaders were fully prepared to explore investment and joint production opportunities with Azerbaijani partners.

Hassanzadeh outlined key sectors for collaboration, highlighting transit and transport, particularly the completion of the Rasht–Astara railway—a missing link in the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The project would reduce shipment times between Asia and Europe and enhance both countries' roles in the global supply chain, he said.

In the energy sector, he pointed to recent tripartite gas swap agreements between Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, which have laid the groundwork for expanded cooperation in electricity and gas trade. Joint investments in cross-border energy infrastructure and power plant projects were described as unprecedented opportunities.

Hassanzadeh also emphasized collaboration in agriculture and food industries, including smart farming technologies, greenhouse production, modern irrigation, and exports of processed agricultural products.

Following Azerbaijan’s reclaiming of its territories, he said Iranian firms could play a major role in reconstruction, including in road building, dam construction, electrification, and building hospitals and schools.

Hassanzadeh also identified tourism – especially health, religious, and eco-tourism – as another promising area, citing eased visa regulations and cultural affinity. He added that joint Iran-Azerbaijan tour packages targeting third-country tourists were also under consideration.

To overcome current barriers, Hassanzadeh proposed several measures, including easing visa issuance for business travelers, increasing economic representation offices, resolving banking and payment challenges using national currencies, improving freight movement, and negotiating a free or preferential trade agreement to reduce customs tariffs.

He concluded by expressing hope that the forum would usher in a “remarkable leap” in bilateral trade and investment between the two nations.

A senior Iranian business official has called for intensified trade relations between Iran and Turkmenistan, highlighting the mismatch between the current trade volume and the countries' historical and economic potential.

Speaking at the Iran-Turkmenistan Business Forum held during the Iran Expo 2025 in Tehran, Payam Bagheri, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, stressed the importance of expanding economic cooperation.

“Despite deep-rooted historical, cultural, and economic ties, the current level of trade does not reflect the existing capacities,” Bagheri said. “More effective steps must be taken to enhance bilateral engagement.”

He urged joint chambers and business associations to play a more active role in aligning supply and demand and facilitating commercial exchanges between the two countries.

Bagheri also described the Iran Expo 2025 as a "golden opportunity" to showcase the country’s economic capabilities. He noted that over 3,000 business representatives from 110 countries were participating in the event, with the Iranian chamber working at full capacity to leverage the occasion.

Ramazan Bahrami, Chairman of the Iran-Turkmenistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, echoed the optimistic tone, stating that 2024 was a successful year for bilateral trade. “We anticipate that 2025 will mark the beginning of a new chapter in economic cooperation between our two nations,” he said.

Iran and Uzbekistan are intensifying efforts to expand bilateral trade, with Iranian officials calling for the swift conclusion of a preferential trade agreement and greater economic integration between the two countries.

At a joint business forum held on the sidelines on Iran Expo 2025, Payam Bagheri, Vice President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, said the $500 million trade volume recorded in 2024 falls short of the countries’ true potential.

“There is strong enthusiasm on both sides, rooted in shared cultural and historical ties,” Bagheri noted. “Iran has substantial capacity in agriculture, food production, mining, energy, tourism, and other industries.”

Bagheri argued that implementing a preferential trade agreement would significantly accelerate trade growth and help unlock new economic opportunities. He also emphasized the importance of easing banking restrictions, expanding the list of traded goods, lifting Uzbekistan’s business visa requirements, and encouraging cooperation in technology and innovation sectors.

Bagheri reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to send and receive trade delegations, saying stronger institutional cooperation could help trade between the two nations exceed $1 billion in the near future.

Vice presidents of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) held separate meetings with business delegations from Afghanistan and Oman on the second day of Iran Expo 2025, aiming to enhance private sector cooperation between the countries.

The Iran Chamber’s booth at the exhibition became a hub of economic dialogue on Tuesday, attracting visits from business leaders, trade officials, and government figures.

Mohammad Younus Mohmand, President of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, led a delegation in talks with Mohammad Reza Bahraman and Payam Baqeri, vice presidents of the Iran Chamber of Commerce.

Baqeri said the Afghan delegation's presence helped establish direct ties between traders from both countries. He stressed that close collaboration between the Iranian and Afghan chambers is essential for expanding bilateral economic cooperation.

He also highlighted Afghanistan’s market potential and revealed plans for the Iran Chamber to send a trade mission to Kabul in the near future. However, he pointed out that resolving ongoing banking issues between the two countries remains critical for progress.

Mohmand, while acknowledging the importance of cooperation, expressed concerns over challenges faced by Afghan investors in Iran. He urged Iranian authorities to create more favorable conditions for Afghan business activities.

Baqeri responded that the Iran Chamber stands ready to facilitate Afghan investment and is committed to addressing investor concerns.

Later, Baqeri also met with the President of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate. The two sides discussed boosting commercial exchanges and explored opportunities for broader provincial-level cooperation. The Omani delegation emphasized the importance of mutual trade visits and invited the Iran Chamber to dispatch a business delegation to Oman.

Senior business leaders from Iran and Kyrgyzstan have urged the formation of joint investment strategies and banking agreements to unlock the full trade potential between the two countries, which remains far below capacity.

Qadir Qiafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, said bilateral trade currently stands at $106 million – an amount he described as insufficient given the opportunities available to both nations.

“Joint investment in logistics and transportation can help reduce the final cost of goods for both sides,” Qiafeh said at a meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart on the sidelines of Iran Expo 2025 in Tehran on Thursday. “We also need clear banking and monetary agreements to advance our economic ties.”

He called on the chambers of commerce and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in both countries to develop a targeted plan to expand trade cooperation. Participation in each other’s specialized exhibitions, he added, could enhance mutual understanding and foster effective private-sector links.

Mamasadyk Bakirov, Vice President of the Kyrgyz Chamber of Commerce and Industry, echoed the sentiment, saying that while the two nations have significant potential, some obstacles must be addressed. “We must explore practical ways to bring our business communities closer together,” he said.

He noted that Iran currently enjoys a trade surplus in bilateral exchanges, but said a more balanced trade relationship is needed. Bakirov proposed the creation of a joint chamber of commerce and the establishment of trade centers in Tehran and Bishkek as concrete steps toward deepening economic relations.

Iran and Uzbekistan plan to sign a preferential trade agreement next month during a joint economic commission meeting, a move expected to enhance trade cooperation between the two countries, according to the president of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.

Samad Hassanzadeh, speaking at a meeting with Shokhrukh Gulamov, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, said the upcoming agreement could significantly elevate bilateral trade.

“The current trade volume of nearly $500 million does not reflect the real potential of the two countries,” Hassanzadeh said. “Iran’s private sector, represented by the Chamber, is fully ready to take all necessary steps to increase trade.”

He highlighted the upcoming Iran Expo, starting April 28, where a business delegation from Uzbekistan is expected to participate. Hassanzadeh pointed to Iran’s industrial and economic capacities—particularly in engineering services, petrochemicals, oil, food industries, and automobile manufacturing—as areas with strong potential for cooperation.

Stressing Iran’s commitment to strengthening ties with neighbors and countries worldwide, he added that the private sector is equally determined to support this strategy.

The Iran chamber of Commerce president also called for the reciprocal removal of visa requirements for Iranian citizens by Uzbekistan, arguing it would ease travel for businesspeople and boost tourism.

He noted that Iranian companies are particularly interested in joint investments in Uzbekistan’s textile and apparel sectors. Hassanzadeh expressed hope that with closer collaboration between the two countries’ chambers of commerce, trade volume could reach $1 billion.

Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister Gulamov echoed the sentiment, stating that the historical and cultural ties between the two nations form a strong foundation for enhanced cooperation and joint investment.

“More than 100 Uzbek companies, led by the president of our Chamber of Commerce, will participate in Iran Expo. This reflects the importance of Iran for Uzbekistan,” Gulamov said.

He welcomed Iranian private sector investment in Uzbekistan and outlined an ambitious goal: “With the existing capacities, we should aim to increase trade volume to $5 billion.”

President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture, Samad Hassanzadeh, criticized Turkey’s discriminatory trade regulations against Iranian goods which he believed were hindering the development of bilateral economic ties.

Hassanzadeh made the remarks in an online meeting on Tuesday with Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).

He expressed concern that some of Turkey's trade policies, especially its special tariffs on Iranian products compared to European goods, have created significant barriers. He emphasized that these measures are detrimental to the goal of increasing trade volume between the two nations, which is targeted to reach $30 billion.

He highlighted the issue of tariffs introduced in January on Iranian trucks at the Turkish border, which caused delays and a halt in the flow of goods. Though the issue was temporarily resolved through negotiations, Hassanzadeh said that the solution might not be permanent, and called for a lasting resolution to ensure the smooth movement of trucks across the border.

Hassanzadeh also discussed the plan to establish a joint chamber of commerce between Iran and Turkey, expressing readiness to finalize the necessary arrangements for signing the agreement.

In response, Rifat Hisarciklioglu confirmed that the joint chamber will be inaugurated in March and invited Hassanzadeh to attend the opening ceremony.

Hisarciklioglu also requested that the Iranian side provide a list of products facing trade obstacles, to be addressed in discussions with Turkey's Minister of Trade. He acknowledged some of the restrictions affecting bilateral trade and pledged to work towards resolving them, including the issue of Iranian truck traffic at the border.

The two sides agreed to continue their discussions in a bid to overcome the challenges impeding trade and enhance economic cooperation.