Mohammad Shakibi Nasab, in an in-person meeting with Hamid Ghanbari, the Deputy for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and virtual communication with ambassadors and heads of the country's diplomatic missions abroad, emphasized the necessity of strengthening maritime diplomacy and utilizing the capacity of embassies for the development of maritime trade and transport.

Idle Port Capacity

Referring to the nominal capacity of approximately 302 million tons of the country's ports, he said: "Despite this capacity, in recent years approximately 50 to 55 percent of the ports' capacity has remained idle, and by introducing Iran's port capacities to target countries, the groundwork should be provided for greater utilization of this capacity."

The Managing Director of the Ports and Maritime Organization added: "Infrastructure development without diplomacy, and diplomacy without infrastructure development, cannot achieve the desired result, and strengthening synergy between domestic institutions and partner countries is essential."

He also cited banking exchanges, insurance issues, and investment as major challenges of maritime trade, saying: "The embassies of the Islamic Republic of Iran can play an effective role in introducing investment opportunities and the country's capacities in the North-South and East-West corridors."

Referring to the commencement of port smartening measures and the selection of Bushehr Port as the organization's pilot in this field, Shakibi Nasab emphasized the use of other countries' experiences and the transfer of knowledge and expertise in the port sector.

In conclusion, he emphasized the continuation of joint meetings with the ambassadors of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the follow-up of approved resolutions and proposals with the aim of further flourishing maritime transport.

Joint Cooperation Framework Between Foreign Ministry and PMO

The Deputy for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the drafting of a joint cooperation framework between this deputy and the Ports and Maritime Organization with the aim of transforming economic and maritime diplomacy capacities into concrete and traceable projects.

Hamid Ghanbari, the Deputy for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a meeting with the ambassadors of the Islamic Republic of Iran abroad, referring to the necessity of strengthening coordination among institutions active in the field of economic diplomacy, announced the drafting of a joint cooperation framework between the Economic Diplomacy Deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ports and Maritime Organization.

Stating that the goal of this framework is to create a clear framework for cooperation and division of labor between the two institutions, he stated: "Common topics and capacities must move beyond verbal discussions and be defined in the form of concrete, phased, and traceable projects."

Ghanbari added: "Within this framework, it must be precisely determined what responsibility the Economic Diplomacy Deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ports and Maritime Organization, and the Islamic Republic of Iran's missions abroad bear in each project and what actions they must take."

Mechanism for Follow-Up

Referring to the design of a mechanism and system for following up on these cooperations, the Deputy for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "The design of this structure has almost reached the implementation stage, and in the first step, the outputs of meetings and joint minutes will serve as the initial basis for drafting the framework, after which programs will be pursued in a project-based manner."

He continued: "The recent meeting was held more smoothly and cohesively than the first session, but to fully update information and reach consensus between the two institutions, holding supplementary meetings is essential."

Ghanbari emphasized: "The creation of this framework can make the path of joint cooperation more transparent and provide the possibility of more precise follow-up of projects and measurement of their progress, and it is expected that within the next two months, the framework of cooperation and the path of implementing joint projects will become clearer."

Ambassadors' Views

In this meeting, the ambassadors of the Islamic Republic of Iran abroad also presented their views and proposals on solutions for developing economic and trade relations with target countries, emphasizing the strengthening of economic cooperation through the activation of the private sector capacities of the two countries, the identification of new investment opportunities, and the development of trade interactions.

The ambassadors of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also referring to the capacities available in their countries of mission, emphasized the necessity of purposeful utilization of Iran's missions' capacity to facilitate communication among economic activists, introduce investment capacities, and provide the groundwork for a more effective presence of Iran's private sector in foreign markets.