The agreement was made via video conference by Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian and Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari in a bid to take the opportunity to further enhance reciprocal ties.
It came after a meeting of the Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Cooperation Commission was put off due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The meeting was scheduled to be held in the central Iranian city of Isfahan in April, 2020.04.
In the video-conference meeting held on April 16, 2020, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and some decisions were adopted.
“On the Iranian side, all documents and draft papers to be discussed and approved at the [Iran-Qatar] Joint [Economic] Commission have been prepared, and they will be shared with the Qatari side, so that issues will receive final approval by both sides before a meeting of the joint commission is held,” Ardakanian told Al Kuwari, who is the Qatari head of the Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Cooperation Commission.
The Iranian and Qatari heads of the joint commission agreed to hold a meeting of the commission the first chance they get after the repercussions of the coronavirus outbreak are over, so that they can seriously follow up on the goals pursued by the commission to further boost mutual ties.
They also agreed to hold meetings via video conference in the meantime to discuss papers and documents they need to agree on to further advance issues at hand.
The Iranian minister also thanked Qatar for offering medical aid to Iran amid the coronavirus outbreak, and called for both countries to share medical experiences regarding the fight against the disease.
“Although the coronavirus has brought numerous hardships and problems for the human community, it has also had positive results, namely the strengthening of solidarity among friendly and neighbouring countries,” said the Iranian official.
