High-ranking Iranian delegation arrives in Erbil to strengthen trade with Kurdistan

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An Iranian delegation led by Industry, Mine, and Trade Minister Mohammed Shariatmadari arrived in Erbil on Wednesday to participate in the 4th economic forum in the Kurdistan Region with the stated goal of strengthening trade ties with the semi-autonomous region.

The economic forum will begin today at 10:00 am local time and will continue for two days.

Following the arrival of the Iranian delegation in Erbil International Airport (EIA), Shariatmadari told reporters that Tehran wants to develop its economic and trade relations with the Kurdistan Region.

Trade between Iran and the Kurdistan Region totaled $5.5 billion in 2017, a decrease of about half from previous years when it reached over $10 billion.

Diplomatic and economic ties between Erbil and Tehran deteriorated following last year’s referendum on independence, which led Iran to close its airspace and border crossings with the Kurdistan Region.

The economic forum is organized by the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani and Iraq's Acting Minister of Industry and Minerals Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani will also attend the event.

Iranian envoys in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, including Ambassador Iraj Masjedi and governors of Tehran and Iranian provinces bordering the Kurdistan Region, are participating in the forum, the Director-General of the Kurdistan Region – Iran relations at the KRG's Department of Foreign Relations Abdullah Akreyi told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday.

Akreyi mentioned that following the two days of the economic forum, a memorandum of understanding would be signed between Erbil and Tehran, with the aim of further developing economic and trade ties between them.