Iran, Turkey to boost trade volume further

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Development Minister Yılmaz (L) and Iran’s Vice President Ali Saidlo (R).

The bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Iran will reach $35 billion before 2015, the target year, Iran’s Vice President Ali Saidlo said yesterday, ahead of a meeting with Development Minister Cevdet Yıldız in Ankara.

The bilateral trade volume, which hit $16 billion last year, will surpass $23 billion as of the first months of this year, Saidlo said. Looking at the increasing trade volume trend, the target of $35 billion will be reached as soon as possible, said Yıldız. The total population of the two countries is 150 million and the total economic size is $1.3 trillion, which reached $2 trillion in terms of purchasing power parity, he said, adding that the bilateral trade volume should be increased further. Iranian and Turkish delegations will discuss their challenges in banking, finance, energy, customs gates and transport at the meeting, he said. “Among the significant subjects we will discuss with the Iranian delegation is finalizing the preferential trade agreement between the two countries. After this, our goal is a free trade [deal],” Yıldız said.