The Iran-Russia Business Forum was held at Espinas Palace Hotel in Tehran with the participation of a delegation of 100 people including those from commercial and economic companies active in various fields of industry, agriculture and commerce, headed by Sergei Katyrin, the head of the Russian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, as well as senior managers and representatives of Iranian companies active in the field of trade with Russia. Before the inauguration of the large business meeting, which was organized by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Shafei, the head of the Chamber, and Katyrin joined a bilateral meeting and exchanged views on  the latest developments in the economic relations of the two countries as well as the most important issues in the business cooperation agenda of the two sides, such as the North-South Corridor, customs, transportation, shipping in the Caspian, railways, bank transfers, investment, regional cooperation and cooperation within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. Mahdi Safari, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy, who was one of the speakers of the meeting, highlighted the importance of the economic forum and referred to the serious will of the presidents of the two countries to promote the level of trade and economic relations between Iran and Russia as well as the measures taken by and consultations conducted between the officials of the two countries in the past year and a half. He emphasized the fact that the necessary grounds and platforms have been prepared in various areas of railway, sea, roads and combined transportation, facilitation of customs affairs, transit, creation of the necessary port and railway infrastructure, investment facilities for monetary and bank transfers, etc. The official added that if the private and public sectors of the two countries make plans and exert efforts, it will be possible to achieve the 5-billion-dollar mark in foreign trade between Iran and Russia. Also addressing the event, Mr. Katyrin emphasized the important issue of transportation (corridors) and facilitating exchanges with the national currencies of the two countries as two major issues that can be effective in promoting trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Russia. He also described the departure of foreign companies from Russia due to sanctions as a good opportunity for successful Iranian companies, which should be planned for. Elswhere, the representatives and managers of the companies of the two countries ,in joint bilateral meetings, discussed ways to develop cooperation. The Russian delegation will leave for the provinces of Isfahan and Gilan in two parts and with separate agendas to visit the cities of Isfahan and Rasht and conduct business negotiations and consultations with provincial authorities and the private sectors of the two provinces.