Syria and Iran signed on Tuesday five contracts for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, animal resources, industry, oil and communications (a mobile network operator) based on the joint economic cooperation agreement signed more than a year ago.

The contracts were signed by Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Adib Mayyaleh on behalf of the Syrian side and Iranian Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayebnia, in presence of Prime Minister Imad Khamis and Iran’s first Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri and a number of officials of both sides.

In a statement following the signing of the contracts, Premier Khamis referred to a sixth contract related to investing in one of the Syrian ports, stressing that these contracts constitute the core for a huge package of mutual cooperation between the two countries in the areas of industrial cooperation and investing, including Iranian investments in establishing factories and in reconstruction in Syria.

Hesaid both sides agreed on setting up a serious development vision with keeping into consideration the current situation and challenges and activating the standing joint committees.

“We also stressed the need to set up goals within a specific timetable to upgrade the relationship in terms of the trade exchange and its volume and in terms of the scale of the projects and the necessary funds to appropriately develop these projects,” he added.

Premier Khamis affirmed that the economic deliberations and talks with the Iranian side were “constructive” and “good”, noting that the Syrian side conveyed to the Iranian side the Syrian government’s vision of future cooperation in the various economic, industrial, trade and services fields to achieve the best interests of both countries.

For his part, Jahangiri said the signing of the five agreements today came as a result of the standing bilateral cooperation between Iran and Syria, noting that there is a sixth agreement which will be completed and signed in the coming two weeks.

He pointed out that the chance is there for the Iranian private sector and commercial companies to resume work in Syria again on all economic levels and sending goods and commodities that Syria needs through the credit line already opened.

Bilateral talks between Khamis and Jahangiri earlier today. Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Syria’s Ambassador in Tehran Adnan Mahmoud attended the talks.

An official Syrian delegation started a visit to Iran on Monday. It includes Ministers of Agriculture, Industry, Economy, Foreign Trade, Oil and Mineral Resources and Communications and Technology and other officials.

The visit aims at holding talks with senior Iranian officials to follow up on economic and developmental agreements signed between the two countries, expand economic relations to include strategic domains and enhance counter-terrorism cooperation.