An Iranian delegation from Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines (ICCIM) will leave Tehran for London in two weeks in order to explore ways to boost trade ties with their British counterparts.

Martin Johnston, the director general of the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce (BICC), expressed hope that the sides would promote bilateral relations, adding that "despite existing obstacles on the way of Iran-UK trade, especially in the banking field, the two nations have continued business with one another."

Johnston said that Tehran-London trade saw a one percent growth in 2008 over its preceding year.

British direct exports to Iran in the eleven months ended November 2008 amounted to £360 million, he said adding the value of indirect exports through the UAE was to the same tune, IRINN reported.

He predicted that the UK's direct and indirect exports to Iran will surpass £400 million in 2009.

The BICC Deputy Chairman Yousef Daneshvar said that despite global economic sanctions, Iran is in trade with the UK via the UAE free trade zones.

Iran mainly exports dried nuts and fresh fruits to the UK, while it chiefly imports spare parts for the oil and petrochemicals industry.

The British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit body based in London which is in cooperation with the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines to improve trade ties with Iran.

Iran Society, London
The Persia Society was founded in 1911 but wound up in 1929. Its successor, the Iran Society, came into being in 1935. Between them, these two societies have spanned most of the twentieth century and a variety of phases in Anglo-Iranian relations. The fact that our aims have been strictly non-political has no doubt helped us to survive in periods of difficulty. Our aims are essentially cultural: to bring together those interested in Iran's history and culture by means of lectures and occasional publications, to spread knowledge and understanding of Persian culture in the UK and thus to contribute to Anglo-Iranian understanding and friendship.

IBCCIM
The Irano-British Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Mines was first established in 1978 in Tehran. It was then called "Irano-British Chamber of Commerce. Not long after, along with Islamic Revolution and all of the basic changes, the chamber of commerce was ignored and totally forgotten. In other words, and as a result, the Irano-British Chamber of Commerce was abandoned. Although, the already founded Chamber was never dissolved, it was practically   suspended, This long 20 years of  gloomy period, actually shadowed the close  relations between Iranian people and the people of the United Kingdom.

... Payvand News - 01/28/09 ... --