Mohammad Reza Rostami said that after the cruel U.S. reimposition of sanctions on Iran and international restrictions for trade, Iranian business activists decided to set up companies in Turkey in order to ease imports and exports but after a while their activities faced problems and they were forced to change their way of trade.

IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

He added that Turkish banks put restrictions on the banking accounts of Iranian nationals and they have  been barred from transferring money more than $10,000 via havala.

He went on to say, the restriction made Iranian business activists to take risk and set up companies under ownership and management of Turkish nationals.

Rostami added that Turkish government has set no restrictions on Iranian companies but as long as the company is unable to have banking business it is actually useless.

He noted there are some companies which do not like to work with forex shops and they just want all trades to be done through banking system.

He further said Russian companies do not like to work through the forex shops and as the result the Turkish company acts as broker and after exports of goods to Russia, the resulted money is deposited in the Turkish company’s account. The money after reduction of 2% as commission or transfer charge is transferred to Iran, he added.

Rostami said that fortunately Turkish government has not set restrictions on exports and imports of goods for Iranians.

He admitted that Turkish government gains the real profit from this situation and for this reason it has not opposed it. He added that this type of transfer of money earns the Turkish government good revenues and creates jobs for Turkish nationals.

He noted that Turkey’s laws and regulations for foreign investments are so simple and easy that have encouraged Iranians to invest in that country, adding that some Iranian producers who had invested in Turkey for importing raw materials have now decided to totally move to Turkey for investment.

Rostami added that Turkey respects investments for both its nationals or foreigners and anybody who creates job is welcomed in the country.

He confirmed that one Iranian company which was among the exemplary exporting companies in Turkey got as prize a  production line for producing paint worth 600,000 liras and another exemplary Iranian company received an award worth 400,00 liras but in Iran the exemplary exporters are awarded with just plaque of honors or statues.

He noted that exporting companies are exempted from paying tax and they can get loan without interest equal to the amount of their exports.

Rostami said that in Turkey, companies like Iran pay the value-added tax and they have to pay the government 25 percent of their net profits as tax.

He went on to say that Turkish government by removing bureaucratic process for investment has created attraction for investment and it has helped the unemployment rate falls to its lowest and Iranian businessmen think about investing there.