Syria Proposes Rail Linkup With Iran

Syria is ready to establish a rail link with Iran through Iraq, Syrian Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammad Samer al-Khalil said.
The proposal was made during a meeting with Iran’s First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri to discuss the final steps to announce the strategic trade agreement among Tehran, Damascus and Baghdad, The Middle East Monitor reported.
The Syrian minister said the draft strategic cooperation agreement between Damascus and Tehran is in the final stages, adding that he had discussed with the Iranian official ways to implement previous agreements.
Al-Khalil called for strengthening economic relations with Tehran by supporting cooperation in the private sector through the establishment of an economic conference in the presence of Iranian and Syrian businessmen. During the meeting, the Syrian minister announced Damascus’ approval of an Iranian proposal to open branches of Iranian banks in Syria and facilitate currency exchanges.