Financial Tribune - Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture hosted an economic forum with representatives of Syria’s private sector led by Samer al-Debs, chairman of Damascus Chamber of Industry, on May 1.

Syria has entered the reconstruction stage after the eight-year-long civil war and needs steel, cement and electricity. Iran’s private sector would be of great help in this regard, Syrian participants said in the event.

The civil war has taken an enormous toll on the Syrian economy and infrastructure, with the cost of war-related destruction estimated by the UN at about $400 billion. As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reclaimed most of his country, the Syrian authorities are engaged in rebuilding the country.