Switzerland favors good banking ties with Iran: Envoy

The Swiss new ambassador to Iran expressed interest in promoting banking cooperation with the Islamic Republic, saying that his country favors good collaboration in the fields of banking and fighting money laundering, AVA Diplomatic reports.

In a meeting with Iran’s Finance Minister Masoud Karbasian in Tehran on Wednesday, Markus Leitner added, “Like my predecessor, I am a graduate of economy and this reveals my country’s serious attention to boosting economic relations with Iran.”

Karbasian, for his part, commented on the Iranian government’s measures in line with its ‘Economy of Resistance’ policy which is based on five pivotal issues including development of regional and global interaction, supporting domestic educated workforce, knowledge-based economy, upholding justice, fighting corruption and money laundering and economic transparency.

Promoting economic growth rate to six percent in 2016 from previous minus seven, decreasing inflation to nine percent from 30 percent and reducing share of oil revenues in the upcoming year’s budget from 65 percent to 30 percent are among the economic achievements of the 11th and 12th government, he said.

The minister also hoped that his country would maintain the increasing trend of the economic growth in cooperation with its European friends, especially Switzerland, in various fields such investment and banking cooperation.

Describing the Swiss president’s visit to Tehran two years ago as a turning point in bilateral ties, he welcomed an upcoming visit to Iran of a Swiss trade and investment delegation, hoping that such exchanges would pave the way for further development of bilateral ties.