Haval AbuBakir made the remarks in a meeting with Secretary of Iran’s Free Zones High Council Hojatollah Abdolmaleki and his accompanying delegation in Sulaimani on Thursday, the news portal of Iran’s Free Trade and Special Economic Zones reported.

During this meeting, Abdolmaleki explained the current Iranian government's approach to regional interactions and the capacities of Iran's free trade and special economic zones, and explained the purpose of participation of Iran’s Free Zones High Council at the International Exhibition of Tourism and Handicrafts of Sulaimani.

In late July, Abdolmaleki announced the desire of Iraq to establish a joint free zone with Iran and said the first joint free zone of the two countries will be set up by the end of the current Iranian calendar year.

The prime minister of Iraq has considered an area in Iraq's Wasit province near the Mehran border for the creation of a joint Iran-Iraq free zone, the studies of which are underway, the official announced.

Restating that the first joint free trade zone between Iran and Iraq will enter the operational stage by the end of the year, he added: “Iraqi investors are interested in exporting their goods to other places in order to meet their needs and develop trade by passing through Iran and accessing the Indian Ocean and open waters from Iran's free and special economic zones.”