Iran, Switzerland’s Private Sectors Seek Closer Cooperation in Non-Sanctioned Industries

TEHRAN (Iran News) In a recent meeting between Samad Hassanzadeh, President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), and Oliver Banggert, Switzerland’s newly appointed ambassador to Iran, both sides expressed optimism about expanding bilateral relations beyond traditional areas of engagement.

Hassanzadeh said that Iran and Switzerland have significant potential to strengthen partnerships in most industrial fields, particularly in non-sanctioned sectors where trade and investment can flourish without external constraints.

“Free trade zones in Iran provide favorable conditions for investment,” Hassanzadeh stated. “Iranian and Swiss companies can initiate joint ventures in non-sanctioned sectors. Iran’s economic and industrial capacities make it well-positioned to cooperate with Switzerland not only economically, but also in cultural, social, and academic domains.”

Acknowledging the impact of international sanctions, Hassanzadeh highlighted that Iran has nonetheless achieved notable progress in advanced technologies, knowledge-based production, petrochemical and polymer industries, as well as medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Despite these developments, he noted that trade volume between the two countries remains low and called for greater efforts to identify and promote mutual capacities.

“Both nations should work to raise awareness of their respective strengths,” he said. “The Iran Chamber of Commerce is ready to invite Swiss economic and trade delegations to participate in Iran’s specialized and commercial exhibitions.”

Hassanzadeh also praised Swiss expertise in water recycling, purification, and advanced copper downstream technologies, expressing Iran’s willingness to cooperate in these areas. He emphasized that Iran’s vast natural resources — including precious metal mines, industrial soils, and decorative stone quarries — present excellent opportunities for Swiss investment.

In addition, he proposed joint efforts in social responsibility and humanitarian projects, citing Switzerland’s long-standing experience in these areas. The Iranian private sector, he said, is also prepared to cooperate in building hospitals, research centers, and medical facilities through joint ventures.

Hassanzadeh reiterated that sanctions should not impede progress in academic and economic partnerships.

“We expect that economic, scientific, and academic cooperation will expand further,” he said. “The private sectors of Iran and Switzerland can play an influential role in regulating trade exchanges and deepening relations in all fields.”

Eisa Mansouri, head of the Research Center of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, also addressed the meeting, emphasizing Switzerland’s pivotal role in facilitating Iran’s relations with Western countries.

He suggested that Switzerland could expand its function from a purely political mediator to a commercial and economic bridge between Iran and Europe or North America. “Non-Sanctioned Industries”

“If Switzerland transforms its role from political to economic, Iran-Switzerland relations will enter a new phase,” Mansouri said.

He further argued that Iran could become a regional hub for raw material supply, noting Europe’s growing desire to diversify supply chains away from East Asia. Mansouri proposed that with investment from both Asian and European partners, Iran could host industrial production for export to Europe and beyond, with Switzerland helping to coordinate such initiatives. “Non-Sanctioned Industries”

Turning to digital development, Mansouri explained that Iran has invested heavily in building digital economy capacity despite sanctions. Because the digital economy is less dependent on goods trade, it faces fewer restrictions from sanctions, making it a promising area for cooperation.

Iran’s Seventh National Development Plan includes a goal to train 500,000 digital economy specialists, of which 5,000 senior experts will be developed under the Chamber’s supervision. Mansouri proposed that these specialized training programs be conducted in cooperation with Swiss institutions and international agencies based in Switzerland.

“There are fewer international restrictions in digital economy education,” he said. “We hope to host or co-organize Train-the-Trainer (TOT) courses either in Iran or Switzerland. Such cooperation would be a sound investment for the future.”

He also emphasized the importance of technical and vocational education to build a skilled workforce, expressing hope that the Swiss Embassy could facilitate such training partnerships.

Rashidi, a board member of the Iran-Switzerland Joint Chamber of Commerce, urged stronger cooperation between the joint chamber, the Swiss Embassy, and Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revitalize economic diplomacy. He noted that bilateral trade volume has fallen to one-tenth of its 2010 level, stressing the need for new strategies to boost economic exchanges.

In response, Ambassador Oliver Banggert outlined his key priorities during his tenure in Tehran, saying his foremost goal is to raise the overall level of bilateral cooperation.

“My first priority is that by the end of my term, the level of cooperation between Iran and Switzerland will have significantly increased,” he said.

His second priority is to support Swiss companies already active in Iran, which have gradually increased their trade with Iran over the past five years despite challenges.

Banggert confirmed that Swiss firms are eager to expand operations in Iran, though they face obstacles such as currency access for imports and intellectual property protection. He also noted that visa durations for Swiss business travelers had been shortened from three years to one year, suggesting that these administrative barriers could be resolved with continued dialogue.

“These are practical issues that can be addressed through engagement,” he added.

As Iran and Switzerland look to the future, both sides appear committed to leveraging their private sectors as engines of cooperation, focusing on non-sanctioned industries, education, technology, and sustainable development — areas where partnership can flourish despite political headwinds.