Iran's total debt to Austria paid: Envoy

Tehran, Nov 22, IRNA – Iranian Ambassador to Austria Abdollah Molae said Iran paid off its total debt to Austrian government last month. Molae made the remarks in a meeting attended by Chairman of Austria's Carinthia Chamber of Commerce Yorgen Mendel in Carinthia state in south of this European country. Touching upon the improvement of Iran's macro-economic indexes, he added a large number of Iranian and Austrian banks are connected to each other via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). He added a number of big Austrian banks are negotiating with the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) aimed at fostering banking cooperation. Mendel, for his part, said removal of obstacles in the way of economic cooperation would pave the way for the expansion of mutual ties between the two nations. Prior to the meeting, Visiting Chairman of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIM) Masoud Khansari held talks with Mendel. During the visit, ways of expanding all-out economic cooperation were discussed. A 45-member delegation from several Iranian companies are visiting Austria to discuss ways of expanding bilateral economic cooperation. The visit is made upon an official invitation by the chambers of commerce of Austrian states of Kärnten and Steiermark and also the economy and industry office of Germany’s Bavaria state in Iran. The Iranian delegation active in the fields of industrial equipment and machinery, vehicle and related parts, renewable energies, environmental technology and medical equipment, including Noor Lam Co., Datis Khodro Iranian Co., Nirumand Polymer Engineering Co, etc. would visit their German and Austrian counterparts during their six-day visit. 1378/IRNA