Tehran, Jan 12, IRNA Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed issues of mutual interest with the visiting Iraqi Oil Minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi here on Monday.The two ministers reviewed ways of further deepening and expanding bilateral relations during the meeting.
They focused on the present condition of mutual ties and stressed the need for promoting bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation in an effort to improve political and economic conditions in the region.
The two also highlighted the importance of mutual collaboration to fight terrorism.
They believed boosting regional coordination was also necessary to challenge the evil phenomenon.
Many other topics including Irans nuclear program were also discussed during the meeting.
Abd Al-Mahdi arrived in Tehran today to discuss ways to boost bilateral ties in oil and gas sectors with Iran.
He is to hold talks with Iranian officials on a range of issues, including the development of joint oilfields, the exports of Iranian gas to Iraq and the trade of oil products between the two countries.
Iran shares Azadegan, Yaran, Naftshahr, Azar, and Karkheh oilfields with Iraq.
In November 2014, Irans Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danaifar said Iran has potential to boost its annual exports to Iraq to $20 billion.
The Iran-Iraq annual trade was about $790 million in Iranian calendar year 1385 (March 2006-March 2007), while the figure is over $7 billion currently, he added.
Iraq was the second biggest importer of Iranian non-oil goods in the previous Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, 2014, according to the Iran Customs Administration.
Iran exported $5.9 billion of non-oil goods to Iraq and imported $68.4 million of non-oil goods from the Arab country.
By IRNA
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