Bosnia Woos Iran as Sanctions End

Bosnian Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak made an official visit to Iran on Monday, meeting his counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in a bid to develop relations that could economically benefit the cash-strapped Balkan state.

"We discussed many ways to increase our economic cooperation," said Crnadak said at a press conference, according to Iranian news FARS.

He said the two countries could cooperate in travel and tourism, as well as in joint educational and cultural programmes, and floated a simplified visa regime between the two countries.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed that Tehran is ready to increase its cooperation with Sarajevo, especially in the political, economic and banking areas, FARS reported.

Crnadak's visit to Tehran is the second visit by a Bosnian government official in fewer than four months, after the Ministry of Commerce Mirko Sarovic led a delegation of Bosnian businessmen to Iran in November.

It highlights the growing desire of the Bosnian government to look for new business opportunities especially after the lifting of sanctions against Iran.

"The commercial exchange between the two countries is still relatively small," Aida Kapicija, spokesperson for the Bosnian Foreign Chamber of Commerce, told BIRN.

In 2014, according to the data provided by the Foreign Chamber of Commerce, the total export from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Iran totalled 3.1 million KM (around 1.58 million euro), while the total import from Iran was around 1.17 million KM (around 600,000 euro).

"While the main products Bosnia exports to Iran are electric components for engines and other technical equipment, Iran mostly exports fruits and food products to Bosnia and Herzegovina," Kapicija told BIRN.

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