On 15 June 2025, Dr. Asad M. Khan, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), held a high-level meeting with Mr. Seyed Mohammad Atabak, Honorable Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The meeting focused on strengthening regional cooperation in the areas of trade and industry.
At the outset, Dr. Khan expressed his heartfelt condolences and solidarity with the Government and people of Iran on account of Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and conveyed his sympathy during this challenging time.
During the meeting, both sides underscored the importance of enhancing and fully operationalizing existing mechanisms within the ECO framework, most notably through the universal ratification and implementation of the ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) by all Member States, as a vital step toward advancing regional trade. They also discussed the importance of addressing challenges related to financial transactions, recognizing them as an indispensable tool for facilitating trade. In this context, ECO encouraged the exchange of best practices and called for stronger political and institutional commitment from all Member States, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, to demonstrate greater engagement and ownership in advancing regional trade and industrial cooperation.
The discussions highlighted the value of active participation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in upcoming key ECO events, including the 17th ECO Summit in Baku (July 2025), the 5th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Commerce and Foreign Trade in Istanbul (25 June 2025), and the expected 4th Ministerial Meeting on Industry in 2026.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of both parties to expanding collaboration within the ECO framework across key sectors, including trade, industry, customs cooperation, border markets, and standardization.
