28 Mar 2024
Friday 1 May 2015 - 12:11
Story Code : 163031

Germany seeks to boost maritime, port cooperation with Iran

Germany seeks to develop its cooperation with Iran in the fields of maritime trade and ports as a prelude to further expansion of trade volume between the two countries.

German Ambassador to Tehran Michael von Ungern-Sternberg, was quoted on Thursday by Fars news agency as saying that increased cooperation between the two countries ports will certainly boost the volume of trade between Tehran and Berlin.

The German envoy made the remarks in a meeting with officials of Ports and Maritime Department of Hormozgan province in the southern Iranian Rajaei port.

Noting that Germany is a major trade partner for Iran, the German diplomat noted that his country is willing to develop maritime cooperation between port cities in Iran and Germany.

The German envoy mentioned establishment of closer ties between officials of Iranian and German ports as a very important step that should be taken by both sides, noting that Iran's Rajaei port enjoys suitable infrastructure for the exchange of goods between the two countries which conform to international standards.

Ungern-Sternberg also called for direct trade relations between Iran and Germany while inviting Iranian officials to take part in his countrys port and maritime exhibitions.

During the meeting, officials of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Department explained about trade and economic opportunities and capacities available at Rajaei port.

In recent months as the outlook for a final nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 countries and the subsequent removal of international sanctions against Iran seems more promising, many countries have indicated their readiness to expand economic and trade ties with the Islamic Republic.

The sanctions were imposed at the beginning of 2012 by the US and EU claiming that there is a military aspect to Iran's peaceful nuclear program, an allegation Iran categorically rejected.

The Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries the US, the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China are currently engaged in technical talks over the drafting of a final comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear energy program. The agreement envisages the removal of certain economic sanctions in return for Irans restrictions on its nuclear energy activities.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"] File photo shows a container ship operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.[/caption]

In late April, India announced that it is moving closer to finalizing a crucial plan to invest in Irans southern Chabahar port in order to open a new economic corridor rival to what China plans to do in Pakistans Gwadar port.

Talks about the proposed speed and manner in which the US government plans to free up the sanctions might be also on the cards, so that India does not run the risk of attracting punitive sanctions, said a report by the New Delhi-based Business Standard newspaper.

Earlier in April, an Iranian official said the country is expecting American shipping lines to visit its ports once the sanctions against the country are lifted.

We are currently holding weekly meetings with European shipping lines over their return to Iranian ports, said Mohammad Saeidnejad, the head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).

We believe that American shipping lines will also return once the economic sanctions against Iran are lifted, he added.

By Press TV
https://theiranproject.com/vdcdss0ffyt09z6.em2y.html
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