Iran, Algeria investment opportunities : A conference to be held in Tehran on October 3

A conference on Iran and Algeria’s investment opportunities will be held in Tehran on October 3.

• The IRNA News Agency quoted an official with the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran as saying that, “currently two Iranian companies are carrying out $150 million worth of technical and engineering service projects in the African country.”

• Iran exported $30 million worth of goods and 30 million euros worth of technical and engineering services to Algeria in 2009.

  In August, Iran and Algeria discussed signing a free-trade deal with the African Moslem country in the future.

  Previously Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari has said that the Islamic Republic respects the African continent in its international commercial relations and in this regard Algeria could be a gateway for Iran into North Africa.

  The minister said holding specialized exhibitions, opening bank branches or establishing a joint bank and exchanging trade delegations are some ways Tehran and Algiers can help boost business relations between each other.

• President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived Saturday in Algiers for a few hours stopover.

• The Iranian president has been welcomed upon his arrival at Houari-Boumediene International Airport by the President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Saturday, September 18,2010.

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held talks here on Saturday in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad before visiting Algiers. Regarding the Middle East issue, Ahmadinejad said that the only solution was to take into consideration the Palestinian nation’s rights and concerns.

• He termed the direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority a failure, saying, “Those who want to disturb the geopolitics of the region should know that they have no place in the future of the region.”

• Ahmadinejad left Damascus for Algiers after the meeting. He will fly to the US from Algeria. While in the United States, the Iranian president will take part in the UN General Assembly and the Millennium Development Goals summit.