On March 5^th, South Ossetian CCI´s President Kazbek Tuganov invited the Abkhaz CCI´s Vice-President Soner Gogua to take part in the business forum “the Development of Business Cooperation of South Russia, the Caucasus and the Islamic Republic of Iran”. The meeting was attended by officials from the Republic of Iran, representatives of the Russian CCI, as well as entrepreneurs of South Russia and the Northern Caucasus.

The forum´s objective was to present business opportunities to the Iranian Republic in the development of cooperation with Russian entrepreneurs, the establishment of contacts and mutually beneficial relations.

Throughout the forum issues of developing economic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the representatives of South Russian and Circassian entrepreneurs were discussed. They also spoke of the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, the effects of which negatively influences the trade-economic relations between Russia and Iran, seeing as trade dropped from 5 billion US dollars to 2 billion US dollars. For this reason, Iran is searching for alternative measures of developing business relations.

During the forum´s two days, RA´s CCI representative held meetings and negotiations with the Iranian representatives, informing them of the economic situation in Abkhazia, its prospects and development. The Iranian representatives were highly interested in the free trade between Russian and Abkhazia. The Head of the Iranian delegation, Farhad Parand noted that Abkhazia can become a transit bridge between Russia and Iran.

The Iranian representatives invited their Abkhaz counterparts to visit Teheran. Abkhaz CCI´s Vice-President Soner Gogua noted that both sides are interested in further cooperation and are ready to make an effort in this regard.

The CCI of Abkhazia is grateful to the President of the CCI of the Republic of South Ossetia – Alania Kazbek Tuganov for the warm welcome.