Iran Calls for a Global Network of Iranian Business Actors

TEHRAN (Iran News) Speaking at the session, Ghadir Ghyafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, said the absence of an active network of Iranian business owners around the world has seriously harmed the country’s trade capacity. He emphasized the need to create a digital platform containing information on Iranian economic actors abroad to connect them with domestic businesses. He noted that the platform could be based anywhere in the world, as long as it maintains effective links with Iran, adding that the Iranian Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) could help develop such a platform.

Ghyafeh said sanctions have distanced Iran not only from global trade networks but also from up-to-date knowledge, banking services, and business facilitation institutions. While noting that ICC does not engage in sanctioned areas, he said cooperation with the Iranian ICC Committee could still be effective in non-sanctioned fields and called for a seminar to familiarize Iranian businesses with ICC capacities.

Mohammadreza Nafar, Head of the Economic Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlined the ministry’s trade-oriented approach, saying foreign policy is inseparable from economic, cultural, and political considerations. He stressed that export-driven and development-oriented growth is a key priority, particularly given sanctions, regional complexities, and Iran’s economic conditions.

Nafar said the Foreign Ministry acts as a facilitator for private-sector trade and places special emphasis on border economies and cooperation with Iran’s 15 neighboring countries. He noted that the ministry has established specialized trade desks for products such as carpets, saffron, and dates, and reported that Iran exported over $4 billion in technical and engineering services last year, with exports expected to exceed $5 billion this year. He added that since the beginning of the year, 12 joint economic commissions have been held and 32 bilateral cooperation agreements signed.

Mohammad Khazaei, Secretary General of the Iranian ICC Committee, called for permanent private-sector representation in the Foreign Ministry’s economic working groups. He highlighted ICC’s global reach, with more than 45 million corporate members, and its role in dispute resolution, standard-setting, and contract models widely used in international trade.

Finally, Mohammad Lahouti, Head of the Export Development Commission, warned that exporting has become increasingly difficult for Iranian businesses due to restrictive currency and regulatory policies. He said greater authority for border provinces and stronger coordination with neighboring countries could help remove export barriers, and reiterated the private sector’s readiness to participate in Foreign Ministry working groups and make better use of ICC mechanisms to facilitate foreign trade.