On the first day of his official visit to Iraq, Hemmati held talks with Alani on Sunday on measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and monetary affairs.

The two sides highlighted the extensive potential for expanding economic relations and discussed implementing previous agreements and increasing banking interactions between Iran and Iraq.

Hemmati stressed the active role of private-sector players in facilitating the export and import of goods, emphasizing the need to adopt new mechanisms to accelerate trade transactions, particularly at entry points.

The Iraqi trade minister, for his part, welcomed the expansion of cooperation and emphasized the Iraqi government’s determination to address challenges facing economic actors and strengthen trade ties with Iran.