<p dir="LTR"><span>IRNA – Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Masoud Karbasian said in Washington on Saturday that Iran-Italy agreement for opening banking credit line will be inked in the near future.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Iran, Italy to sign banking credit line deal soon</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Karbasian, who is in Washington to attend the 2017 Annual joint meeting of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the remarks in a meeting with his Italian counterpart Pier Carlo Padoan.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>The Iranian minister also emphasized the need for expanding economic relations between the two countries.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>He added previously several negotiations have been held between Tehran and Rome for opening a credit line in a bid to pave the way for optimal banking and economic ties between the two countries.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>The Iranian minister said the level of mutual trade transactions has seen a three-fold increase in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2017).</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Karbasian also voiced Iran's willingness to cooperate with Italy in steel industry as well as transportation arenas.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Padoan, for his part, said Italy is entirely determined to expand all-out ties with Iran in different arenas.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>He added the Italian companies are fully ready to cooperate with the Iranian side.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>The Italian minister stressed that the financial cooperation would pave the ground for technical cooperation between the two nations.</span></p> <p dir="LTR"><span>Karbasian, heading a delegation, arrived in Washington on Friday to attend the World Bank's autumn summit to be held in Washington on October 13-15.</span></p>