According to <i>Tehran Times</i>, visiting Iraqi Finance Minister Abdil Abd al-Mahdi met with Iran's Commerce Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari, discussing ways for expansion of bilateral trade exchanges. Shariatmadari said that Iran attaches importance to trade with Iraq and is keen on signing free trade agreements, establishment of bank cooperation and arranging some parts of trade exchanges in the frameworks of border markets. He further proposed the establishment of a joint technical-engineering company.
