Industrial Leaders Voice Concern Over Negative Economic Growth

TEHRAN (Iran News) During the commission’s latest session, members discussed the current challenges facing the country’s industrial sector and emphasized the need to strengthen business resilience, provide constructive policy recommendations to the government, and ensure stronger support for the private sector. They also called for simplifying trade regulations and facilitating the presence of Iranian products in global markets.

Opening the meeting, Abolfazl Roghani Golpayegani, Chairman of the Industry Commission, highlighted the deteriorating state of key economic indicators.

Citing a report by the Iranian Parliament Research Center, he said:

“According to the latest data, the country’s economic growth is around minus three percent. The government had promised a four-percent growth rate, but current trends show this goal has not been achieved. Immediate action and policy review are essential.”

Roghani stressed that chambers of commerce play a vital role in communicating the private sector’s concerns to policymakers:

“The Industry Commission is the voice of Iran’s businesses. We must accurately convey their problems, insights, and recommendations to the government to ensure they are reflected in decision-making.”

In a presentation titled “Enhancing SME Resilience through Productivity,” Majid Younesi analyzed key factors for sustaining industrial operations amid uncertainty.

He identified supply chain efficiency and risk management as the two core elements of resilience for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Younesi argued that improving productivity can significantly boost firms’ capacity to withstand economic shocks, urging comprehensive planning to strengthen resilience through smarter supply chain and risk strategies.

Sayyed Baqer Sharifzadeh, a member of the Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, warned that shortages of raw materials have become one of the main obstacles to production.

He called for urgent action to facilitate imports:

“Borders must be opened, and currency holders should be allowed to import raw materials freely. Otherwise, production will grind to a halt.”

Sharifzadeh criticized restrictive trade policies, saying they “contradict the very concept of resilience” and have, in effect, halted industrial activity. He proposed the creation of special committees to ease customs procedures and address foreign exchange issues affecting exporters.

“The World’s Doors Are Closed to Us” – Need for Regulatory Reforms

Masoud Ta’amoli, a member of the Iranian Composite Association, criticized the country’s weak international engagement and technological isolation.

“We have closed the world’s doors on ourselves. As a result, we are deprived of modern technology, which directly impacts our productivity and competitiveness,” he said.

He emphasized that government support packages should focus not only on budget allocations but also on simplifying regulations to help producers and private businesses operate more effectively under current conditions.

Abdollah Yazdanbakhsh, from the Mashhad Chamber of Commerce, called for unity among producers and investors, warning against passivity:

“If we lose hope, no one will come to our aid. We must stay organized and proactive — advising ministers and officials on how to make effective decisions, because their choices directly shape the future of production.”

He reiterated that many existing laws are anti-production, stressing that “industrial growth requires motivation and practical solutions,” which are currently lacking.

Mohammad Hassan Ebrahimi Yazdi, from the Industrial Automation Association, said supply chain diversification is crucial for resilience.

He argued that resilience should not mean mere survival but rather adaptive growth through innovation, digitalization, data analytics, and modern risk governance.

Without these tools, he said, “smart decision-making and sustainable resilience will remain out of reach for Iranian enterprises.”

Navid Izadpanah, CEO of Steel Alborz and a leading home appliance manufacturer, criticized the government’s economic approach, saying:

“When asked how the Ministry of Economy plans to boost resilience, the minister replied: ‘By slowing the velocity of money.’ But in economics, slower money circulation means lower productivity.” “Negative Economic Growth”

He accused the government of prioritizing short-term inflation control over long-term industrial growth, creating tension between public policy and private sector needs. “Negative Economic Growth”

“As long as the government pursues short-term resilience, sustainable benefits for production and the private sector will remain out of reach,” he warned.

Abbasali Motosselian, a polymer industry entrepreneur from Yazd, highlighted Iran’s troubling global ranking in productivity.

“Out of 182 countries, Iran stands at 174th. This means 174 nations are more productive than us,” he said, calling for a fundamental rethink of the government’s approach to resilience and private sector participation.

He questioned whether the government views resilience as a shared goal or merely as an operational directive for businesses:

“It seems we are treated not as partners, but as instruments of policy execution,” he remarked, criticizing the growing pressures on transparent and compliant companies, which, he said, “bear the heaviest burden of taxation and regulation.”