Iran parliament ratifies free-trade agreement with EAEUJune 10, 2019 - 12:34 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian lawmakers on Monday, June 10 ratified a joint free-trade agreement between Iran and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states, Mehr News Agency reports. The bill was ratified during a Parliament open session on Monday, which allows the government to start exchanging documents with the EAEU’s member states on establishing a joint free-trade zone with the bloc. According to a lawmaker, Ali-Akbar Karimi, accession to the EAEU would serve as a prelude to joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). The EAEU in its current form was established in 2015. According to Sputnik, the organization provides for the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor, determined by the union’s treaty and international agreements. The member states include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. According to union data the GDP of the entire bloc is currently about $1.9 trillion. Back in February, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei had highlighted the importance of the agreement for Iran, saying "it opens the gates to a big market for our country, and also opens the Iranian market to Russia and northern countries.” Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |