Iran, Belarus trade exchanges increase to $21m

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami plans to visit Belarus in September 9-10, during which he will meet with the Belarusian leadership and see leading industrial enterprises, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. Belarus and Iran established diplomatic relations in 1993. Belarus opened its embassy in Iran in 1997 and an Iranian embassy opened in Minsk in 2001. Trade between the two countries increased to $21.4 million in 2003 from $89,000 in 1993, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry told Interfax. Belarusian exports to Iran were worth $20.5 million in 2003.