Tasnim � The secretary general of Iran-Iraq joint chamber of commerce highlighted an upward trend in the export of Iranian products to Iraq.

In a meeting with Iranian and Iraqi trade delegations, Hamid Hosseini pointed to a growing trend in Iran�s exports to the Arab country, saying its daily value stands at $45 million and sometimes reaches $70 million.

Noting that most of the oil and gas projects in Iraq are undertaken by European and Chinese contractors, he deplored that although Iranian companies have won the bidding to carry out such projects in Iraq, a series of problems have prevented them from starting the job in the Arab country.

He was referring to the US sanctions on Iran and Washington�s pressures on Baghdad to stop doing business with Tehran.

Iraq�s new Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim has made it clear that his country cannot cut off trade ties with Iran under the US sanctions, saying the value of annual trade between Iran and Iraq amount to $12 billion.