Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak[/caption]TEHRAN (FNA)- Russian energy minister said his country's state and private sectors are looking to open a new chapter in ties with Iran which will lead to the endorsement of trade cooperation agreements worth 70bln euros.
Addressing a ceremony held in Tehran Tuesday night to mark endorsement of a high-profile economic cooperation agreement with Iran at the end of the 11th meeting of the two countries' trade and economic cooperation council, Alexander Novak said Russia is highly interested in launching new power plants for generating electricity and reconstructing Iran's old power plants, and added, "Russia can improve the power generation conditions in Iran by constructing new power plants."
Novak stressed that Moscow is willing to cooperate with Iran in metal melting and air, road and railway transportation, adding that 50 Russian companies are ready to implement projects in Iran.
"We can also supply TOO204 planes to Iran and even the Russian ports in the Caspian Sea are prepared to import their needed goods from Iran," he said.
Novak said implementing all these projects would need around 70bln euro, and underlined, "We are after opening a new chapter in economic cooperation between Iran and Russia."
In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh announced during a separate economic meeting attended by state and private firms of the two states that the value of trade exchanges between Tehran and Moscow stood at $5.1 billion in the last Iranian year (ended March 21, 2014), while the figure could grow ten-fold in future.
"The value of Iran-Russia trade exchanges which hit $5.1 billion last year could be increased by 10 times," Zanganeh said, addressing Iran-Russia Trade Conference in Tehran.
Addressing Iranian businessmen, Zanganeh said, "Russia is a big market with high demand and rapid economic growth for us and we have many world quality goods and services which can meet the increasing needs of that country."
Addressing the same conference yesterday, Novak underlined that his country was willing to implement joint projects and ventures with Iran and boost the two countries' trade value to $10 billion.
"We will boost the level of the two neighboring countries' trade transactions to $10 billion," Novak said.
Novak underlined that the Iranian and Russian private sectors were so interested in trade exchange that 80 Russian businessmen representing 40 companies have attended the conference, each of whom introduces a service or equipment to the Iranian companies.
He noted that the Russian companies participating in the conference were specialized in nanotechnology, electronics, nano-electronics, atomic power stations, aviation and airplane equipment.
Novak pointed to the willingness of Iran and Russia to strengthen their relations in the recent decades, and said, "Russians' partnership in the construction of Isfahan Steel Mill, power plants and Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant which started in the second half of the 20th Century indicates good cooperation between Iran and Russia."
The Russian energy minister also reminded Tehran and Moscow's similar diplomacies towards Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Caspian Sea as a launchpad for the further expansion of relations.
He also expressed Moscow's willingness to supply Iran with plane parts and equipment, and transportation, oil and gas and atomic power plants equipment.
Novak said both Iran and Russia had strong determination to implement joint projects and set up joint ventures, adding, "The two countries will hold a trade meeting in Moscow to continue their talks."
He also mentioned that Iran and Russia had intensively worked to remove obstacles such as method of payment of trade exchanges.
Novak is in Tehran leading an economic delegation to attend the 11th meeting of Iran-Russia Trade Council.
Iran-Russia trade currently totals $5bln a year, but economists say the two countries can multiple the volume of their trade exchanges.
By Fars News Agency
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