EAEU, Iran agree to use Iranian ports to access other markets

MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries will be able to use Iranian ports to enter the Indian Ocean and ship goods to third countries, including India.

An agreement on cooperation within the context of the North-South international transport corridor and the use of ports was reached Wednesday at the first meeting of the joint committee for the implementation of the full-fledged free trade agreement between the EAEU and Iran, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Trade Minister Andrei Slepnev told reporters.

"We reached agreement on those issues that concern the competencies of the union. The first is simplification of customs procedures and a green corridor, digitalization, expansion of shipments of refrigerated freight in railway groups under the Eurasian Agroexpress project, expansion of cooperation along the line of ports and coordination of plans for infrastructure," Slepnev said.

He said this refers to "coupling the plans that the Eurasian union has with the plans of the Islamic Republic of Iran and, of course, with the prospect of already entering the region, farther into the waters of the Indian Ocean through Iranian ports."

"I mean and further steps. I'll note that last week we held active consultations with the Indian side on a free trade agreement. On the horizon we also have such cooperation with Pakistan. In other words, the union is actively moving in terms of building regional economic partnerships and this only increases the need for our Iranian partners as an important link, a golden link, one could say, in this North-South corridor," Slepnev said.

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