Iran signs first free trade agreement
Tehran: 2005/03/15
Iran signs first free trade agreement
TEHRAN, Mar. 15 (MNA) - Iran’s first free trade agreement was signed during President Mohammad Khatami’s recent visit to Venezuela, said here Tuesday, Economy Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari.
He also noted that the trade profits of some of the goods will decline in the next year (Iranian year starting March, 20) adding that, the profits from the sale of the raw materials and the machineries will also decrease to their minimum levels.
The economy minister further explained that duties on the passenger cars are to decrease from the current 130 percent to 100 percent in the coming year and also, the duties on the different types of the imported trucks and busses will decrease from 30 percent in the current year to 20 percent in the next year.
“Exports from the country reached 31.5 billion dollars 12 percent of which comprised of consumers’ goods, 42.3 percent consisted of the capital goods and 45.7 percent of which were intermediate goods”, the official also noted.
He commented that, the private sector’s share of the imports were about 66 percent whereas, the public sector imported about 20.6 percent of the total imports into the country during the first 10 months of the current year.
Saturday, March 12, 2005 - IranMania.com
Iran, Venezuela ink several agreements
LONDON, March 12 (IranMania) - Several agreements worth a total of over $1 bln were signed between Iran and Venezuela on Friday. The documents were signed by visiting Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez, according to IRNA.
The agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) inked by the two presidents cover various fields. Agreements on encouragement and support of investment, avoidance of double taxation, shipping and marine trade as well as MoUs on oil, gas and petrochemistry are among the signed documents.
The agreements also cover cooperation between the two countries on geological and mines projects. In a separate ceremony on Friday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez handed the highest official sign of his government to President Mohammad Khatami.
Addressing the ceremony, Khatami expressed happiness over his visit to the country and said the sign was a symbol of the link between the two nations that have made up their minds to live freely and gracefully.
Stressing that the two countries were moving steadily towards development in spite of all problems and and obstacles, he said he was pleased to receive the sign from the hands of a person for whom the Venezuelan nation has repeatedly proven its respect.
Chavez, too, described Khatami as a person who has always fought for freedom, justice and peace and has always wanted the best for all world nations. Furthermore, President Mohammad Khatami was presented the Golden Key of the City of Caracas and also the highest degree of the citys municipality.
The key and the degree were granted to Khatami as a token of Venezuelan officials
gratitude for the efforts he has been undertaking during his term of presidency to promote ties between the two countries.
The Iranian President also took part in a dinner banquet thrown at his honor and his accompanying delegation by President Hugo Chavez on Friday night. Khatami arrived in Caracas Thursday afternoon from Sarajevo on the third leg of his three-nation tour which has already taken him to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Khatami met Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for talks on issues of bilateral interest, as well as regional and international developments. Iran and Venezuela also concluded several political and economic cooperation agreements during Khatamis visit.
Iran
s Ministers of Foreign Aaffairs, Economic Affairs and Finance as well as industries and mines are accompanying the president during the tour.