Iran, Tunisia to Revive Economic Commission, Push for Permanent Flights

Iran and Tunisia have agreed to resume meetings of their joint economic commission after years of suspension and are working on plans to establish permanent direct flights between the two countries, Iran’s ambassador to Tunisia said.

The decision followed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Tunisia, during which he met his counterpart, Mohamed Ali Nafti. “Extensive discussions were held on bilateral issues,” Ambassador Mirmasoud Hosseinian told ISNA.

Direct charter flights between Iran and Tunisia have been launched in recent months, operating twice weekly on Sundays and Wednesdays. With the introduction of a 15-day visa waiver, around 1,000 Iranian tourists are estimated to have traveled to Tunisia during this period, Hosseinian said.

He added that both foreign ministers stressed the need to establish a permanent direct route and explore mechanisms to make it sustainable.

“Political relations between the two countries are currently at a good level, but economic ties are not in a favorable situation, mainly due to geographical distance and a lack of familiarity among traders with each other’s capacities,” the ambassador noted. He said Tunisia’s leading role in olive oil and date production offered promising areas for cooperation with Iran.

Economic commission to reconvene in Tehran
Hosseinian said the two sides agreed that their joint economic commission, dormant for years, would soon be reconvened in Tehran under the leadership of the countries’ trade ministers. The foreign ministers also underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation in tourism. - Iran Daily