Iran offers Uzbekistan a gateway to Persian Gulf markets through Bushehr

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues regarding elevating inter-regional cooperation between the two countries to a new level across various sectors, including trade-economic, investment, tourism, and cultural-humanitarian relations.

Ahmad Mohammadizadeh highlighted that the official visit of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Tehran in June 2023 was a historic event, and the ongoing dialogue between the leaders is an important step in developing cooperation between the two countries.

Emphasizing the importance of inter-regional collaboration, the governor of Bushehr expressed interest in establishing relationships with regions of Uzbekistan. It was noted that Bushehr has maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, offering Uzbekistan an opportunity to access the markets of these countries via the port in Bushehr. The Iranian side expressed readiness to allocate land for Uzbekistan in the "Bushehr" free economic zone.

Moreover, the region is a leader in exporting dates and small shrimp products. In this context, the proposal included organizing reciprocal visits by representatives of the business communities of both countries to the regions and arranging joint art exhibitions to develop mutual trade relations.

The main economic sectors in Bushehr are oil and gas extraction, chemistry, oil refining, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. Bushehr also hosts the significant port of Bandar Bushehr - the second most important port in Iran after Bandar Abbas, and a free economic zone.