Imports of Goods With Domestic Counterparts Not Allowed
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Acting Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Hossein Modarres Khiabani says the ministry will not let the goods with domestic counterparts be imported in order to protect domestic production and exports.
Speaking to IRNA, Modarres Khiabani said that the ministry does not let the import of non-essential goods and goods with domestic counterparts, adding that so far tariffs for over 2500 luxury and non-essential goods and goods with domestic counterparts have been blocked.
He said the mentioned goods led to exodus of over $3.5b from the country in 2020 and last year some $290m was spent for imports of those goods, adding that the ministry is trying to zero the amount of the forex for imports of non-essential goods and it wants the allocation of forex only for imports of the raw materials, machinery and essential goods.
Modarres Khiabani added that last year the volume of imports stood at $43.7b, and the capital, intermediate goods and raw materials accounted for 85 percent of imports and the remaining 15 percent was for necessary consuming goods.
He reiterated that the ministry will not let the non-essential goods be imported from the official channels because it has no money and also one can find their likes in the country in abundance.
He then talked about the trade with the neighboring states and exports to those countries, noting that the strong point of the country has been badly affected by the cruel sanctions and the country should take advantage of border trade with neighboring states.
Modarres Khiabani noted that Iran has borders with 15 countries and its exports to those countries account for 60 percent of its total exports while the volume of imports of those countries stands at over $1200b per annum and Iran’s share of their imports is just 2 percent ($24b).
He added that if the country can double the figure, then the trade volume will hit $48b and most of problems will alleviate.
He noted that Iran’s exports to Eurasian Union states since signing the agreement with them has grown by 63 percent.
