For some years now a string of Bulgarian governments has been making efforts to revitalize trade and economic relations with the markets to the East, neglected for many years. Most intense in this sense were last year’s government visits to China and India. The highlight this year was the visit to Iran by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov this week. The talks in Teheran took place soon after the lifting of the embargo the West imposed on the country over its nuclear programme. Both Sofia and Teheran say the time is right to reinvigorate bilateral relations.

With this in mind the two countries declared ambitious plans for cooperation in commerce, the energy industry and tourism. Bulgaria’s joining a new transport corridor linking the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea, connecting Iran, Armenia and Georgia was another point of discussion. The Iranian side displayed keen interest in the Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnection project and in the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal with the prospect of supplying liquefied natural gas to the country via our southern neighbor. This intention is in total agreement with Sofia’s ambitions of diversifying the routes and sources of its gas supply.

In the years of international embargo, Iran’s access to international trade was highly restricted and its banks were blacklisted in the EU and USA. As a result the country is still having problems with its international payments. Hence, the Bulgarian delegation offered cooperation in the spheres of financing and banking which will, at the same time, boost bilateral economic relations and facilitate payments by Iranian businesses to the EU countries. And as this is not a question that is exclusively national, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov assumed the commitment to raise the matter at all possible levels, including the European Council.

But there was one thing planned for this visit, that stirred the most interest and provoked the highest expectations – Bulgaria’s plan to look for a buyer for the equipment manufactured by the Russian Atomexportstroy for the aborted Belene NPP project. As a matter of fact Iran’s potential interest in acquiring the Russian equipment is very real – equipment which though unusable in Bulgaria could serve to speed up the implementation of that country’s projects with Russia for new nuclear capacities on its territory. President Rouhani has issued instructions that due attention be given to the Bulgarian proposal, but the question is extremely complicated, technically and financially, but also politically. Although Iran has convinced the West it has no plans of acquiring nuclear weapons, Israel harbours doubts that there is on reason and one reason only behind Teheran’s wish to acquire nuclear technologies – military use. But as Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said, Israel is well aware that in this particular instance it is all about mutually advantageous trade relations which pose absolutely no threat to Israel. With this certainty in mind, the Bulgarian delegation offered to share with Iranian experts, Bulgaria’s experience connected with the spent nuclear fuel from the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

Three bilateral documents were signed during the visit by Boyko Borissov, aimed at putting relations in mutual investments, transport and communications as well as cooperation among SMEs on a new footing. Still, any serious advancement in this sphere is yet to come. A working group of experts and representative of high-tech companies will work to this end by promoting economic relations and exchange of experience. Expert visits are planned in connection with the potential bilateral cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy. At a political level Iran is expected to reciprocate with a visit by their own delegation to Bulgaria. The start has been given to the revitalization of Bulgarian-Iranian relations, though this is just the beginning.

English version: Milena Daynova