PHOTOS: Iranian trade exhibition kicks off in Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Representatives of roughly 100 Iranian companies began to display their products on Tuesday, the first day of the second annual Iranian Trade Exhibition held in the Kurdistan Region's city of Sulaimani.

In addition to the visiting merchants on hand at the fair, dignitaries present included the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Minister of Trade and Industry and the Iranian Consul General to the autonomous region of Iraq.

Participating Iranian businesses showcased thousands of items on and around brightly colored display tables through the venue. Organizers told Kurdistan 24 that over 400 investors are taking part in the five-day event as well.

The Kurdistan Region maintains robust economic ties with Iran and imports many commodities from its eastern neighbor, including food, agricultural products, household appliances, auto parts, and hundreds of other items.

The volume of trade exchange between Iran and Iraq has risen in recent years to some $7 seven billion annually, a large part of which is with the Kurdistan Region. Tehran has announced plans to raise the market share of Iranian companies operating in Iraq to $20 billion in the coming years.

Editing by John J. Catherine