TEHRAN (Iran News) – A member of Iran-Turkey Joint Chamber of Commerce believes that devaluation of Turkish currency lira is not good for Iran because it causes rise in imports from Turkey and decline in exports to this country.
Speaking to ILNA, Behnam Tajuddin pointed to the recent decrease in the value of lira in Turkey and said that sanctions against Iran helped Turkish businessmen to earn considerable amount of profit because Iran used to circumvent sanctions mostly through Turkey and this country has turned into Iran’s gateway to Europe.
He went on to say that sanctions against Iran caused Iran to continue its trade with other countries through Turkish companies and Iranian businessmen have to pay extra cost to keep trade with other countries.
He noted that in recent months the Turks have restricted Iranian traders for ex, adding that it seems Iran needs to have an essential reconsideration in the gradual tariffs and elimination of the goods from the list and in this case one can expect the rise in trade between the two states.
Tajuddin also said that devaluation of lira helps Turkey to export more, adding that the devaluation of lira in terms of trade balance will not be in Iran’s favor because Iran’s imports increase and in return its exports decline.
He then said that agro products are major Iran’s exports to Turkey, adding that these products after entering Turkey are immediately processed and packed and re-exported to other countries, reiterating that half of Iran’s watermelon exports belong to Turkey.
When he was asked Iraq could have access to the Persian Gulf states markets via Iraq and Iran has failed to replace Turkey, he said that quality of Iran’s agro, mineral and industrial products is better than Turkey’s and by the way Iran is more close to Iraq but lack of good and appropriate management and sanctions helped Turkey to replace Iran in the region.
Tajuddin stated that the number of commercial attaches of Turkey in Iraq is 12 and said that Iran’s economic diplomacy in Iraq is weak, adding that Iran has also 12 commercial attaches in Iraq but they have not acted in a way that the country dominate in the Persian Gulf states.
He reiterated that if the government helps the private sector, then it will not let Turkey replace Iran in Iraq market. He said due to relationship between some Iranian families with Iraqis, Iran can boost its economy with Iraq.
He also criticized the country’s forex policy and noted that the policy of Turkey is to push aside its rivals in the region and this is the nature of business to defeat rivals and Iran will do the same if it can.
