The president of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture has called for streamlined import procedures and greater financial flexibility, warning that foreign exchange restrictions and customs backlogs are threatening industrial production and employment.
Speaking at a meeting in Alborz province on Monday, Samad Hassanzadeh pointed to the growing problem of goods piling up at customs and tight currency controls. “Facilitating the import process, especially for essential goods and raw materials, is one of the measures that can help sustain production,” he said.
Hassanzadeh also highlighted mounting concerns among economic operators over financing, saying, the banking system faces resource constraints which reduce the ability to provide effective loans to enterprises.
To address some of the bottlenecks, Hassanzadeh proposed allowing imports without foreign exchange transfers and tapping into the international credit capacity of Iranian firms.
Emphasizing the need for synergy between the state and the private sector, he said: “In the current wartime conditions, close cooperation between executive bodies and economic actors is an unavoidable necessity to overcome challenges and maintain production stability in the country.”