ArmInfo. With a trade potential of $80 billion with the EAEU countries, significant oil and gas reserves, transit advantages, opportunities in technology, engineering, and human resources, Iran is ready to play a more significant role in the EAEU. This was stated by Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref during his speech at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.
<In this regard, we hope that preconditions will be created for granting Iran observer status in the EAEU in the shortest possible time>, he said.
Mohammad Reza Aref noted that Iran took the first step towards strengthening cooperation with the EAEU last year by signing a free trade agreement. <We expect that this will contribute to the development of trade cooperation with the EAEU countries>, the Vice President noted. The next step, according to him, was an application for membership as an observer in the EAEU. In this regard, he expressed readiness on behalf of the state to develop all mechanisms of cooperation with the EAEU, and to play a more significant role in using its own potential to implement these tasks.
<The presence of a total GDP at the level of $2.4 trillion and foreign trade at the level of $80 billion per year, along with a progressive tariff structure within the Union create favorable conditions for the emergence of a powerful economic bloc of states at the international level. It is necessary to carefully address areas where the participating countries can complement each other, as needed, and create value chains in various areas, from agriculture to industrial production>, he emphasized. Note that according to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the trade turnover between Armenia and Iran from January to July of this year was $388.8 million, with an annual decline of 2%. At the same time, exports totaled $63.2 million, marking a 4.7% annual increase, while imports decreased by 3.2%, to $325.7 million.
