The Consul General of Iran in Pakistan’s Peshawar stressed the need for his country to sign a barter agreement with Pakistan, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.
Hamid Reza Ghomi was quoted by an IRNA report as saying that he was eying such a deal between the Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and the provinces of Iran.
He was of the opinion that the promotion of barter trade would help strengthen bilateral relations.
Ghomi expressed the views while talking to Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Hasnain Khurshid at the Chamber’s House in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Welcoming the steps towards bringing the Iranian and Pakistani business institutions closer, especially the private sector, he said his country was designing a mechanism for free trade with Pakistan to strengthen economic relations.
“If the policy based on the mechanism is implemented, the set mutual trade target $5 billion between the two countries could be achieved easily,” said Ghomi.
He said the option of barter trade was available to cement the mutual relationship between Iran and Pakistan.
The Iranian consul general suggested signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the SCCI and Industries and Mines Ministry in Iran for joint initiatives to promote bilateral trade.