Over the past two years, the relations between Baku and Tehran have reached the highest level, the Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev said, speaking at the Azerbaijani-Iranian business forum.
"The special role at the new stage is played by the presidents of the two countries: their political will allows to establish the high-level relations between the two states. Two presidents met seven times for the last three years. More than 40 interstate documents have been signed between the counties. And the current session of the forum will be held in both Baku and Nakhichevan," the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza cited the minister as saying.
Mustafayev recalled that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has awarded the Iranian Minister of Communications Mahmoud Vaezi a high state award for his great contribution to the commission's work.
"I especially want to mention documents on the Ordubad - Maraza railway project. It is of political and economic importance. We are working closely in the fields of energy, medicine, tourism, etc. As for the North-South corridor, the first phase of the project has been completed. The Azerbaijani side is continuing to build a railroad to the border with Iran. The Iranian side will also complete the work soon. Today we will discuss the second stage of implementation of the North-South project," the Azerbaijani Minister of Economy said.
He said that the business forum, which is being held in Baku, is attended by more than 200 entrepreneurs. "For six months, the trade turnover has increased by more than 60%. In January, we will lay the foundation of the Iranian medical plant in Pirallahi. We will also discuss the opening of a plant on the basis of the Tabriz tractor plant in Neftchala. We will also discuss the Ordubad - Maraza project," he added.
Also, according to him, the conditions for Iranian citizens to obtain visas using Asan-Visa will soon be eased.
"In Azerbaijan, there are more than 400 Iranian companies, the total investments of which are more than $2 billion," Shahin Mustafayev concluded.
