Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 21 February this year, the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov met with the Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Economic Affairs Mohsen Rezayi Mirgaed in Tehran.

During the meeting, the current state of the economic partnership between the two countries and the priorities for its deepening were discussed, including in the light of the agreements reached in the framework of the 14th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mutual readiness for practical cooperation to increase the Uzbek-Iranian trade turnover was expressed. An important step in this direction should be the signing of the Preferential Trade Agreement between Uzbekistan and Iran. In this regard, the parties have identified measures to intensify interagency cooperation aimed at accelerating the approval of this document.

Constructive proposals were voiced to increase investment cooperation in the fields of construction, agriculture, pharmaceutical, electrical, chemical and light industries, as well as in the production of building materials. An agreement was reached on the development of new promising projects in these areas by the relevant ministries, departments, industry associations and private companies of the two countries.

Emphasis was also placed on expanding cooperation in the field of transport and logistics. The broad prospects for building up partnership in this area were emphasized, meaning an increase in the volume of direct and transit cargo transportation through the territories of the two countries, as well as the creation of new profitable transport routes.

The parties expressed mutual commitment to the practical implementation of the agreements reached following the 14th meeting of the Uzbek-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached to intensify bilateral contacts in order to accelerate the advancement of the considered areas of cooperation and promptly resolve emerging issues.