Iran can serve as transit corridor for Japanese goods: Minister
Iranian Minister of Agriculture Gholamreza Nouri-Qezeljeh has said that his country’s cooperation with Japan on water and food would benefit the entire region, adding that Iran can act as a transit corridor for the exchange of Japanese products.
Nouri-Qezeljeh made the remarks in a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Iran Tamaki Tsukada on Saturday, IRNA reported.
The minister also said that Iran-Japan cooperation on environmental issues, especially water, is a good basis for further expanding relations between the two sides.
He also announced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with Japan in food production and agricultural development, engineering services, and production of vaccines, among others.
Nouri-Qezeljeh pointed to Iran’s readiness to host short-term practical training courses in modern agricultural technologies, especially in water-consuming sectors, and said, “Japan’s experience in rice cultivation and agricultural irrigation are of interest to us, and we are ready to exchange experts in this area.”
In response to the Japanese ambassador’s request for the export of Iranian cheese to Japan, the minister added, “The existing obstacles will be removed soon, and the Japanese people will soon experience the taste of Iranian cheese.”
For his part, the Japanese ambassador said Japan’s cooperation with Iran dates back to several decades ago, especially in the JICA project, and Japan continues to have effective cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of water and technical engineering services.
Referring to his visit to the northwest provinces of Iran and his visit to Lake Urmia, the diplomat stated, “Regarding agriculture, water management and restoration of Lake Urmia, with the presence of the head of the Iranian-Japanese parliamentary group, key discussions were raised.”
Marking the 50th anniversary of his country’s cooperation with Iran through the JICA project, he said, “The collaboration between Japan and Iran is extensive and deep, and cooperation in the fields of irrigation systems, rice production projects, forest management in the province of Golestan, and Lake Urmia restoration with the help of FAO are examples that can be extended and expanded to other areas of cooperation, especially in the field of agriculture.”