Shafaq News/ The local government in Halabja expressed today its keenness to open three border crossings with Iran to enhance trade and cooperation between the two sides.

 Earlier today, Halabja Chamber of Commerce and Industry held a meeting with representatives of ten major Iranian. The meeting was attended by the deputy head of the local government, Kawa Ali, and the Iranian Consul General in al-Sulaymaniyah, Mahdi Shoshtari.

 Ali said in a press conference after the meeting that Halabja has a set of service projects ready for implementation, adding that the Iraqi government has allocated 25 billion dollars to complete these projects through the private sector.

 Regarding investment projects, Ali said that there are 122 investment projects within the administrative borders of Halabja, and the Investment Authority has prepared a program for their implementation, indicating that the ten Iranian companies that met today with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Halabja can apply for contracts in those projects.

He said that the Tawila, Bashdar, and Sazan border crossings will be opened with Iran.

 For his part, the Iranian Consul General in al-Sulaymaniyah, "We are proud and thrilled that ten of the largest Iranian companies have come forward to provide services to Halabja Governorate.

"Undoubtedly, such meetings between traders and investors of Iran and the Kurdistan Region help developing relations and introducing companies between the two sides", he noted.