国际英语资讯:Qatar seeks to expand trade ties with Iran: Qatari minister

TEHRAN, Nov. 26 -- Bilateral ties between Iran and Qatar have significantly increased during the last few months and Doha seeks to increase trade with Iran further, the visiting Qatari minister of economy was quoted as saying by Financial Tribune daily on Sunday.

"Foodstuff and construction material have been Qatar's main imported goods from Iran," Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani said in a meeting with Iranian Minister of Industries, Mining and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari on Saturday.

Besides, "Iran is playing an important role in the transport of goods from Turkey and Azerbaijan to Qatar," Al Thani said.

Shariatmadari, for his part, said that given that Qatar will be hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Iran's technical and engineering services can meet the needs of the Qatari market.

The Qatari official is currently heading an economic and trade delegation to Iran.

It was announced here last week that the economy ministers of Iran, Qatar and Turkey would hold a meeting in the near future to discuss the expansion of trilateral trade cooperation.

The three ministers were expected to coordinate plans for closer trade ties, particularly after imposition of sanctions against Qatar by Saudi Arabia and some other Arab countries, Tasnim news agency reported.

In August, the economy ministers of Turkey and Qatar visited Tehran for talks on the expansion of trade interaction and export of Turkish goods to Qatar through Iran.

Iran and Turkey became the two major suppliers of Qatar's needs for food after Saudi-led bloc severed ties with Qatar and suspended air, sea and land transport with Qatar in June.