Iran Urges Chinese Investors to Expand Economic Cooperation and Investment

TEHRAN (Iran News) The meeting, hosted by the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, was attended by senior officials including the Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade (MIMT), Iran’s ambassador to China, several members of parliament, and the Iranian consul general in Shanghai.

Najafi-Arab noted that Iran traditionally exports goods such as dried fruits, saffron, carpets, handicrafts, and energy products to China but should now focus on exporting industrial and high-tech goods. “We must diversify our exports to include advanced manufactured products and increase the overall trade volume with China,” he said.

He announced the Chamber’s decision to establish a new commercial office in China to support Iranian exporters and promote non-oil exports. Similar plans are under way in Khorgos, northwest China, to set up facilities for packaging and production of Iranian goods. Najafi-Arab also proposed creating a digital platform to link Iranian and Chinese business communities directly, adding that the Tehran Chamber would provide office space for Iranian traders based in eastern China to enhance cooperation.

Highlighting the need for stronger institutional support, Najafi-Arab urged Iran’s embassy in Beijing to address persistent challenges in financial transactions and visa issuance. He also invited participants to visit the Tehran Chamber’s pavilion at the China International Import Expo, where Iran will showcase its industrial and commercial capabilities for the second consecutive year.

The chamber president expressed concern about the country’s declining investment rates, particularly in foreign investment. “Iranians abroad who run successful businesses should consider investing inside the country. Iran’s economy urgently needs new capital, especially in infrastructure, railways, energy, smart agriculture, and road construction,” he said.

Former Iranian ambassador to China Alaeddin Boroujerdi, now head of the Iran-China Friendship Association, called for establishing local Iranian chambers of commerce in various Chinese provinces, with the embassy’s support. He noted that visa issuance remains a major obstacle for Iranian traders, describing the process at China’s embassy in Tehran as “unacceptably slow.” He urged Iranian diplomats to pursue the issue with Chinese authorities.

Ruhollah Najabat, head of the Iran-China Parliamentary Friendship Group, stressed the need for an operational roadmap for bilateral trade. He proposed deploying multiple commercial attachés across China to identify provincial business opportunities and strengthen coordination between Iran’s private sector and government institutions.

Peyman Falsafi, member of parliament and of the Agricultural Commission, underlined the importance of aligning all state agencies under the 25-year Iran-China Cooperation Agreement. He highlighted China’s successful use of blockchain and digital currency technologies to bypass Western financial systems and suggested that Iran could adopt similar models to overcome sanctions-related barriers.