TEHRAN: Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said on Thursday said his country is keen to expand economic relations with Iran, especially in the energy, tourism, and agriculture fields.
He made the remarks in a joint press conference after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Athens May 28, 2015.
Kotzias pledged to take advantage of all its potentials to remove obstacles on the way of Iran-EU cooperation.
Zarif, for his part, said that political relations between the two countries have always been at a good level, adding that the two sides should try to bolster economic ties which have been declined in recent years due to anti-Iran sanctions.
The two sides emphasized on launching direct flights between Tehran and Athens and facilitating the visa issuance procedure as the possible ways to give a boost to the bilateral trade.
Trade between Iran and the European Union amounted to €7.566 billion in 2014, a 21 percent growth from €6.229 billion in 2013, according to Eurostat.
EU imports of goods from Iran totaled €1.162 billion in 2014, a 48 percent growth compared to €783.418 million in 2013.