TEHRAN: Iranian Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Ali Rabiei said Iran and Croatia have agreed to develop cooperation in 16 industries. The Iranian labor minister, who is visiting Croatia, made the remarks at a joint meeting with Martina Dalić, Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia and Minister of Economy, Small and Medium Entrepreneurship and Crafts, as well as Minister of Labor and Pension System of the European Eastern European country Marko Pavić. “Nowadays, trade has turned into a means of peace, friendship and expansion cultural ties between countries,” Rabiei underlined. He pointed to age-old history of relations between the two countries saying “Iran has always remained beside Croatia and has fortunately passed tough sanction years.”
The official voiced Tehran’s willingness to bolster political, economic and social relations with Zagreb; “holding of specialized sessions between firms and companies of the two sides is in line with the same policy,” he underlined. At the meeting, representatives of over 200 Croatian firms expressed eagerness to increase presence in Iran by purchasing Iranian steel, exchanging know-how in employment as well as boosting volume of investment in petrochemical, shipbuilding, electricity and locomotive spheres. The session also discussed venues for preparing necessary grounds for implementation of earlier agreements between the two countries. Several other issues were raised at the meeting of Iran’s labor minister with Croatian officials including lifting level of cooperation in 16 industries, transfer of Iranian oil and gas to Europe through Croatia and increasing volume of trade turnover given invaluable experiences of both sides in various fields like banking and finance, oil, gas and petrochemicals, steel, electricity, food industry, medicines and medical equipment, insurance, capital market, construction, mining, sea and air transportation, railway and road, tourism, cement, minerals, tobacco, printing and paper in addition to metal industries.
