MESOP BETTER RELATIONS WITH TEHRAN : Free Trade Zone to Open on Border Between KRG and Iran

02.11.2014 – BasNews, Erbil – A Kurdish official has said that the recent Islamic State attacks on Kurdistan haven’t affected commercial activities between the region and Iran.

Abdullah Akryie, head of KRG and Iran Relations, told BasNews that Erbil officials have called on Iranian counterparts to increase the volume of trade between the Kurdistan Region and Iran in the near future. Akryie said that most trade activities between Kurdistan and Iran are done at the Haji Omran border point, north east of the Kurdistan Region capital Erbil. “A few years ago, Iran recommended that a free trade zone be opened on the border between the Kurdistan Region and Iran. Now the agreement on the project has been signed and the project will start shortly in Penjwen, a border town between Iran and KRG,” said Akryie.

The Kurdistan Region has a 600 km long border with Iran and Akryie said that the border is secure. Iran is Kurdistan Regional Government’s second largest trade partner after Turkey. KRG officials say trade with Iran exceeded US $4 billion last year.