There is significant potential for economic cooperation between Croatia and Iran in the oil, gas, electric and energy sectors, shipbuilding, railways, the food industry and tourism, attendees at the Iranian-Croatian business forum held in Tehran on Tuesday agreed.

The forum was held as part of Croatia’s Economy Minister Martina Dalic’s official visit to Iran.

Speaking at the forum, Dalic said that strengthening the two countries’ relations would help the private sector take advantage of opportunities for economic cooperation between the two economies, the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK) reported in a press release.

“It is up to us to create a favourable environment, and it is up to representatives of the private sector to take advantage of the opportunity,” Dalic said.

HGK’s Vice-President for International Affairs, Ivan Barbaric, said that the two countries could learn a lot from one another, adding it was necessary to strengthen the foundations of the business environment.

“Over the past two years, Croatia and Iran have opened a new chapter in their economic cooperation, and today new steps were taken towards improving it, through this business forum, and a joint session of council of our two chambers (of commerce), said the president of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA), Gholamhossein Shafei.

Both countries have potential to take part in joint investments and presence in third markets, especially in the food industry, construction, the pharmaceutical industry, the IT sector and other areas.

Iran’s Deputy Economy and Finance Minister, and president of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance (OIETAI), Mohammad Khazaee, said that the two countries had quality cooperation on several levels.

“We are entirely prepared to expand economic and political cooperation with Croatia. I would like to particularly emphasise the potential for a trilateral cooperation of Croatia, Iran and Austria,” Khazaee said.

The forum was attended by 11 Croatian and 50 Iranian companies and institutions. Also held as part of the forum was the first session of the joint business committee of HGK and ICCIMA, originally set up in December 2017 in order to deepen the two countries economic cooperation and trade exchange.

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