Iran- Algeria Parliamentary Friendship Group arrives in Algiers

Iran Algeria Parliamentary Friendship Group was welcomed by Algerian officials at Algiers Airport Monday. The Algerian Head of the Iran-Algerian Parliamentary Friendship Group Zobeide Kharbash, spoke in the welcome ceremony at the airport stressing that the exchange of parliamentarian delegations between the two nations shows their commitment to expand relations. The official emphasized on development of relations between Tehran and Algiers. Kharbash said that political relations between the two countries stands in good levels, adding that bilateral economic cooperation should be expanded. The Iranian parliamentarian delegation headed by Mosa Ghorbani will in its five-day visit to Algiers discuss bilateral, national and international developments with the Algerian officials. The Algerian leaders have publicly backed Iran’s peaceful nuclear program on numerous occasions. In November of 2008, the Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia voiced Algeria’s support for Iran’s right to “peaceful nuclear technology.” In July 2007, Iran hosted a number of representatives from the Non-Aligned Movement, including Algeria, to take a tour of Iran’s uranium conversion facilities at Esfahan. Bilateral economic cooperation between Algeria and Iran has increased since a resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries in September 2000. During a 2007 visit to Algeria, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated that “Iran is determined to remove all obstacles” to developing economic ties between Iran and Algeria. Over 2008, bilateral trade between Algeria and Iran doubled from 25 dlrs million in 2007 to 50 dlrs million. In addition to bilateral trade in commercial good, Iran and Algeria have mutually invested in one another’s energy, industrial, banking, and agricultural industries. In July 2008, Iran and Algeria announced plans to build a joint cement plant in Algeria worth nearly 300 dlrs million, thus greatly increasing their industrial cooperation. In February 2009, Iranian Economic and Finance Minister Seyyed Shamsuddin Hosseini said the two countries enjoyed extensive political relations but that banking cooperation would help further develop Iranian-Algerian economic relations. In April 2009, Iran, Algeria, and Eritrea agreed to expand their bilateral cooperation and encourage mutual investment. In the context of energy cooperation, Iran and Algeria are both members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and hold the world’s second- and sixth-largest natural gas reserves, respectively. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika visited Tehran in 2008 to discuss the expansion of relations among Islamic states with his Iranian counterpart.