Iran, Switzerland Discuss Economic Ties

TEHRAN (defapress)- Senior Iranian and Swiss officials in a meeting in Switzerland on Monday discussed bilateral ties and mutual cooperation, specially in business and economic fields.

News ID: 66891

Date: 06 November 2017 - 16:10

During the meeting in Bern, Iranian Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khazayee and Economy Minister of Switzerland's Vaud State Philippe Leuba explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating economic and trade relations.

Khazayee, also Head of Organization for Economic Investment and Technical Assistance of Iran, announced an opportunity in resuming banking transactions between Iran and Switzerland.

Iran's deputy economy minister, meantime, expressed optimism that some of the collaboration will be operationalized within next month, and said, "There’s a seemly atmosphere for developing banking relations between Iran and Switzerland. In addition, the pathways to Iran-Switzerland banking cooperation are opening."

During the meeting, the two sides discussed expansion of cooperation, particularly in areas of biotechnology, IT, health-related technologies, agriculture technologies and transportation.

Representatives of the two countries also negotiated on banking solutions through which Iranian projects could be financed.

They also touched upon solutions for financing investment projects and their insurance coverage by European companies.

Leuba, for his part, said that during his stay in Iran, he had held productive meetings with Iranian companies in order to expand economic cooperation, adding, "We believe that a good opportunity for boosting bilateral economic ties is forthcoming."

In relevant remarks in early April, Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Giulio Haas voiced his country's willingness to broaden economic and trade relations with Iran.

"Switzerland is ready to expand all-out cooperation, specially in the field of economic and trade fields, with Iran," Haas said.

The Swiss envoy said that the volume of investment by Swiss businessmen in Iran has doubled in recent years.

"During the past four years, the number of Swiss tourists, who have visited Iran, has increased from 5,000 to 15,000," he said, adding, "The two countries enjoy cordial relations in the fields of tourism industry."