Sputnik- On Tuesday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov visited Iran to discuss a trade agreement between Moscow and Tehran.


During talks with�Iranian Communication Minister Mahmoud Vaezi, Shuvalov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to�organize negotiations with�Iran aimed at�reaching a preferential trade agreement.


"I just received an order from�Russian President Vladimir Putin to�hold talks in�Iran and discuss with�our Iranian colleagues how we could intensify our bilateral trade and reach a preferential trade agreement," Shuvalov said.

At the same time, he noted, the positive results of�trade negotiations will contribute to�arranging the final details of�Iranian President Hassan Rouhani�s visit to�Moscow in�March.

A free trade area within�the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is expected to�be a the first major step in�strengthening trade relations and will also put Moscow-Tehran trade cooperation to�a new level, according to�Mahmoud Shoori, head of�Eurasia Program at�Center for�Strategic Research (CSR).
"Trade between�Russia and Iran has been in�intense discussions for�the recent three years. Both sides are now doing their best to�expand and develop bilateral trade ties. A lot has been done on�the issue, including important agreements," Shoori told Sputnik Persian.


According to�the analyst, the most important and at�the same time problematic matter is the matter of�Iran�s integration into�the EAEU, i.e. the "matter of�multilateral cooperation."

Functioning since�2015, the EAEU is a Russia-initiated regional political and economic bloc that aims to�streamline the flow of�goods and services between�its member states: Russia, Armenia, Belarus Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
"This issue has long been discussed. Several rounds of�talks have already been held between�EAEU members and Tehran. Now, we see significant progress on�the issue, including considering a major free trade area deal with�Iran. In fact, this would be the first serious step to�strengthen Russian-Iranian trade ties. Unfortunately, previously there has been the lack of�political will to�do that," Shoori said.


According to�the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the signing of�a full-fledged free trade area agreement between�the EAEU and Iran will contribute to�GDP growth in�all EAEU member countries.

"According to�the results of�the EEC econometric analysis, conducted within�the framework of�the joint research with�Iran on�the expediency of�free trade area establishment, a sufficient potential of�GDP growth for�all EAEU member states was deduced (plus $27 million for�Armenia, plus $78,6 million for�Belarus, plus $508,6 million for�Kazakhstan, plus $12 million for�Kyrgyzstan, plus $1,3 billion for�Russia)," the commission said in�a statement in�late-December.