The Governor of East Azerbaijan Province, emphasizing the need to review the country’s foreign relations, said that political and cultural ties can only be sustainable when they have a strong economic foundation.

According to the East Azerbaijan Provincial Branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Bahram Sarmast made the remarks during a meeting with Reza Nourian, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Uganda. He highlighted East Azerbaijan’s capabilities in international relations and said that the proposal for regional diplomacy originated from East Azerbaijan and eventually led to the President delegating greater authority to governors of border provinces.

He added that, during what he referred to as the Third Imposed War, despite a 40 percent increase in the province’s population, East Azerbaijan not only avoided shortages of essential commodities but was also able to assist neighbouring provinces.

Tabriz’s Long Commercial History

Referring to Tabriz’s commercial history, Sarmast said that the Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, with 167 years of history, is the oldest chamber of commerce in Iran. He noted that merchants from the region have long-standing and historic commercial connections, while East Azerbaijan has historically served as a gateway linking Iran with Europe and Eurasia.

Sarmast said that Iran now needs to review and strengthen its foreign relations, adding that Africa possesses significant and, to some extent, underutilised potential whose activation could create new opportunities for Iran’s economic cooperation.

He emphasized that the participation of the private sector in international relations would make bilateral ties more sustainable. Joint projects, joint investments, and the alignment of private-sector interests, he said, are among the approaches that can contribute to expanding commercial relations.

East Azerbaijan’s Industrial and Investment Potential

The governor also emphasized the importance of providing strong support to investors. He described East Azerbaijan as an industrial province with significant potential in various areas, including technical and engineering services and extraterritorial agriculture, drawing on existing experience and agricultural models.

He highlighted the province’s economic capabilities, noting that Aras Free Zone, described as the country’s most industrial free zone, is located in East Azerbaijan. He also pointed to the province’s active customs facilities and the potential of sectors such as agriculture, leather, dried fruits and other industries for expanding economic cooperation.

Iran’s Ambassador to Uganda Highlights African Opportunities

Reza Nourian, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Uganda, also highlighted Tabriz’s important position in Iran’s economy.

He said that East Azerbaijan, where approximately 94 percent of the economy is in the hands of the private sector, could serve as a model for the country.

Nourian also pointed to the agricultural potential of African countries, stating that South Africa and Uganda, due to their geographical and climatic conditions, have significant potential for extraterritorial agriculture.

He added that Uganda is a member of the East African Community (EAC) and is on a path of economic growth, making its market an attractive opportunity for Iranian traders and economic actors.

Opportunities for Uganda-Iran Economic Cooperation

The Iranian ambassador referred to East Azerbaijan’s experience during the Third Imposed War, stating that despite the province being subjected to extensive attacks, it did not face difficulties in meeting its essential needs.

He also highlighted the tourism potential of both sides. According to Nourian, East Azerbaijan has considerable potential in health tourism, while Uganda has strong potential in nature-based tourism. He suggested that these complementary strengths could provide one of the foundations for expanding tourism relations between Uganda and Iran.

Conclusion

The meeting highlighted opportunities for strengthening Iran-Uganda economic and commercial cooperation, particularly in agriculture, investment, technical and engineering services, tourism, and private-sector partnerships.

The discussion also emphasized the importance of complementing political and cultural relations with practical economic cooperation, including joint investment, business-to-business engagement, agricultural partnerships, and tourism development.