Envoy Calls on Russian Firms to Aim for Bigger Share in Iran’s Markets

(FNA)- Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanayee called on the Russian companies to increase their efforts to have a wider presence in the Iranian market.

“Russian firms should boost their efforts to have a wider presence in Iran’s market, otherwise their Asian and western rivals will occupy all the suitable opportunities of the market,” Sanayee told reporters on Saturday.

He cautioned the Russian firms that the western and Asian companies have started looking for opportunities in Iran after the Lausanne understanding reached between Tehran and the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) in early April.

Sanayee urged the Russian companies to take stronger steps to increase their presence in Iran.

In February, Sanayee said that Tehran and Moscow plan to start a considerable boost in their trade exchanges in the current year by utilizing all their economic capacities and potentials.

"Iran and Russia signed many agreements in 2014, and 2015 is the year for implementing these agreements," Sanayee told FNA.

In March, Sanayee announced that Iran and Russia had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the supervision of their central banks over the financial operations of the two countries' banks.

"The MoU was signed by the deputy governors of the Iranian and Russian central banks during a visit to Moscow by a high-ranking Iranian banking and financial delegation from March 10 to 12," Sanayee said.

He noted that Iran's banking delegation also visited Russia's central bank and other major banks during its stay in Moscow.

Over the last several years, Iran and Russia have had vast cooperation in different fields, specially in political and economic spheres.

The two states also enjoy special positions on the international scene and have long had constant and regular consultations on key regional and global issues.

Also in March, Sanayee announced that Mir Business Bank was ready to facilitate money transfer for Iranian traders.

"Russia's Mir Business Bank is ready to render financial services to Iranian traders according to a recent agreement signed by Iran and Russia," Sanayee said in Moscow at the time.

He noted that financial transactions by Mir Business Bank take place within the framework of the Russian Central Bank, and said, "Legal and real entities can now exchange indefinite amount of foreign currencies with Iran's rial."

The Iranian ambassador said that the move has taken place to encourage Iranian exporters and pave the way for transfer of the cash earned from export of Iranian goods to Russia and the Central Asia and the Caucasus.

In December, Sanayee announced that Tehran and Moscow planned to boost their trade exchanges to $70 billion in the near future.

"The two countries (Iran and Russia) are serious about implementing an economic MoU which has been recently signed at the joint economic commission which amounts to $70 billion," Sanayee said, addressing a conference in Moscow.

He noted that Iran and Russia signed a major economic, trade and energy agreement in August 2014 which could pave the way for multiplying the two countries' trade exchanges.