TEHRAN – Expanding trade with neighbors, including Iraq, is linked to Iran’s security and development and requires centralized decision-making and flexibility in dealing with the neighboring country’s regulations, the head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce said.
Attending a meeting of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce in Kermanshah province, Yahya Al-e-Ishagh said trade with regional countries is not only economically important but also directly linked to national interests, security, and development, with economic activists playing a key role.
He noted that the $20 billion target for Iran-Iraq trade is achievable, while unofficial estimates currently place the volume of exchanges at around $14–15 billion. To boost trade between Iran and Iraq, the existing capacities of both sides need to be optimally utilized.
The Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber is ready to stand alongside economic activists to remove obstacles and develop economic relations between Iran and Iraq, Al-e-Ishagh said.