President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei on Saturday urged the need for forming a national council on foreign trade.
Shafei made the remarks addressing a ceremony to commemorate the 26th edition of the National Export Day which was participated by top government officials including President Ebrahim Raeisi.
Some 44 Iranian organizations are involved in trade either directly or indirectly, Shafei said, adding that countries with major growth in foreign trade have a unified center for policy making which reduces the costs of trade.
He said that the Iranian private sector demands for forming a national council of foreign trade.
Referring to Iran’s seventh development plan which is being prepared for a five-year period, the Iran Chamber of Commerce president said that non-oil exports have to be paid due attention.
He regretted that petrochemical products and gas condensates account for a half of Iran’s non-oil exports while the share of high tech products in Iran’s exports is less than one percent.
Shafei also said that some 70 to 75 percent of Iran’s exports are bound for the first five trade partners of the country.
“We are in a region with intense political and economic changes, where the policies of the ruling governments play a significant role in the changes and the future of the private sector. Therefore, planning for long-term cooperation with neighbors is very important,” Shafei said.
He also called on the policy makers and those in charge of foreign trade to make plans for Iran’s more active presence in regional blocs.