According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of Kish Free Zone Organization, Iraqi Ambassador to Iran, Dr. Abdul Wahab Jawad Qandil, met with KFZO managing director, Dr. Gholam Hossein Mozaffari, to discuss expanding economic and tourism relations.

During the meeting, the director of Kish Free Zone Organization said that Kish Island, as the country's first free zone, has succeeded in progressing its mission in the two areas of tourism and trade, and added: " Despite the difficult economic conditions imposed by the sanctions, with the efforts of the people and the government and following the guidelines of the Supreme Leader, we have passed through the hardships and today Kish Island is in a good position in terms of development and progress."

He also referred to investment advantages in Kish Island including visa-free entrance as well as tax exemption, describing the Persian Gulf Island as a safe haven for foreign investors. He added that Kish Island is an ideal destination for tourists, especially in the tourism sector of Halal and Health Tourism.

Dr. Mozaffari stressed that establishing direct flights between Kish and Iraq cities is a necessity for the development of relations.

Meanwhile, The Iraqi ambassador said that Kish Island has valuable capabilities for investment and if direct flights between Kish and Iraq cities are launched, more tourists from Iraq will travel to Kish Island for fun or investment.

He emphasized that the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Kish Free Zone Organization and Iraq and launching flights between Kish and the cities of Basra, Erbil, Baghdad and Najaf is very effective in expanding tourism between Kish and Iraq.

Saad Abdul Wahab Jawad Qandil referred to the remarks of Iran's Supreme Leader about the development of relations between Iran and Iraq due to religious, cultural and economic ties, and said that the visit of the Iranian President to Iraq has been the basis for the expansion of cooperation between the two countries.

He noted that increased exchanges and cooperation between the free zones and the industrial zones of Iran and Iraq, along with the establishment of joint industrial and free zones between the two countries, were among other agreed subjects in meetings of senior officials of the two countries.

It is worth mentioning that holding of common business and tourism events and the holding of Iraq cultural week on the island of Kish were among the other issues mentioned by Dr. Mozaffari during the meeting with the Iraqi Ambassador.

PR & Int'l Affairs Department- KFZO