MNA � Australian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran Ian Biggs said that the two countries of Iran and Australia have a great deal of capacities and potentials for increasing bilateral cooperation.

In his visit to Hormozgan province this morning, the ambassador reiterated that this southern province enjoys high capacities for accelerating joint cooperation between Iran and Australia.

Hormozgan province can facilitate trade and business activities between the two countries of Iran and Australia considerably, he maintained.

In his visit to fish-farming fields, the ambassador said, �fish-farming industry has attained significant progress in this province. Considering the high potential of Australia in this field, fish farming paves suitable way for intensification of bilateral cooperation.�

Elsewhere in his remarks, the ambassador put the annual number of Iranian students who enroll for studying in Australian universities at 3,000.

For his part, Hormozgan Province Governor General Fereydoun Hemmati pointed to the high potentials of this province and said, �Hormozgan province is ready to establish fair interaction and cooperation with Australia in the fields of marine structures, marine food industries and also organizing joint investment conference.�

Moreover, Hormozgan province is home to diversified mines, large steel industries, two free zones, five special economic zones, largest water desalination units in the country, seven oil and gas refineries, etc., he said, adding, �more than 60 percent of country�s imports and exports is done via this province.�

Visiting trade and commercial capacities, capabilities of shipbuilding industry and free zones of this province has been cited as the main aim behind trip of the ambassador to this province.