In the meeting, Saeed Mohammad said today the country is challenging with the cruel imposed sanctions and enemies seek to stop the economic development in the country. He added that today public livelihood has been targeted by the enemies and in this condition the role of special economic zones is very important for thwarting the goals of the enemies.

Mohammad noted that special economic and free zones with having over 1,300 economic units in different fields of production, exports, services, transit, technologies and imports have gathered together a big body of economic activists.

He went on to say that special economic zones in any part of the country can take advantage of their special capacities, adding that the North-South Corridor and East-West Corridor due to connection to 15 neighboring states are of major advantages of our country.

Mohammad then pointed to the amount of volumes of Iran’s neighboring countries and said their imports are valued at over $1,100b, adding that unfortunately Iran’s share of this amount is around $24b and the country does not take maximum advantage of its capacities while in the sanctions era, exports can help producers, economic activists and national economy.

He said over 5,400 special economic zones are in the world that major part of the world trade and production is shaped in the special economic zones.

He said today in Iran there are seven active free zones and 32 special economic zones, and 47 special economic zones and 8 free zones are to be launched soon.

Mohammad said removing hurdles in way of production and resolving some other problems are of the main concerns in these areas, adding that they should be resolved.

He went on to say that but today the main problem and woe for economic activists is the domestic sanctions, surplus laws and bureaucracy as well as existence of “island approach” among the economic sectors of the national economy.

He said everybody prepares or legislates a law to stop a problem without taking into consideration the probable problems that the law may create in the future.

Mohammad reiterated that integrity of the economic team is very important and he is to create this integrity in the government with the help of his colleagues in the council.

He reiterated that observing economic issues in the framework of a healthy work will help the negative mindsets regarding the zones to change and the managers of the free zones with a strong media work can consolidate the real position of the free zones and special economic areas in the blossom of the national economy.

He then called for the launch of a joint committee between the council and special economic zones for identifying the hurdles in way of economic activists and to find solutions for them.

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IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

TEHRAN – Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Farhad Dejpasand says national economy is grappling with politicization and the only cure for it is the interaction and professional performance with calmness.

Speaking in the 100th meeting of Government Council of Dialogue With Private Sector, the minister said he definitely believes national economy is caught with politicization and the only solution for it is interaction and professional performance accompanied with calmness.

He added that all should talk in a way that their remarks become solution, adding remarks to please few people are not the solution.

Dejpasand went on to say that he is not to win hearts of the private sector or confront with while it is a serious economic part of the country, adding he believes  if the government opens the way for more effective activities of the private sector, then the country will obtain favorable results.

He claimed the current growth of non-oil exports of the country in the Coronavirus era is a proof for the effectiveness of holding these meetings.

He noted that maybe it would become hard to believe this fact that in the coronavirus era the national economic growth has registered a positive one based on the statistics of the Central Bank either with or without oil sales, but it is true.

Dejpasand added that fortunately some job losses which had happened in the first quarter of the year due to the pandemic were recovered later and the unemployment rate declined.

Touching upon some ambiguities regarding the next year budget plan, he pointed to some items in the budget bill and explained, calling for necessity of economizing and reducing expenditures.

He also reiterated that he is opposed to the idea of increasing the tax revenues for the next year government revenues, adding that since there is no specific definition for the new bases of getting taxes or reducing tax exemption, the increase in the tax will mean more pressure on the private sector in the coronavirus era.

He also hailed the performance of the Tax Affairs Organization last year in materializing 102 percent tax revenues and its over 100 percent of this year’s revenues without increasing pressure on the weaker layers of the society.

Dejpasand admitted that about 40 percent of the total GDP of the country is exempt from paying tax.

On the current ups and downs in the stock market, he said Securities and Exchange Organization dealt properly with 160 stock market publishers which had violated the rules and some of them were penalized.

He reiterated that the Securities and Exchange Organization is determined to bring back stability to the capital markets by taking proper measures.

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IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

TEHRAN – First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri yesterday urged the exporters to return forex earned from exports to the national economy.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the national Industry, Mine and Trade Day, Jahangiri felicitated the day, adding that the country is experiencing one of its toughest and critical era as it is challenging with the U.S. unilateral and cruel sanctions and the outbreak of Coronavirus.

He further said Americans thought they could make Iran economy collapse but the government changed its policies based on the condition and a wise politician should adopt policies to fit with conditions and the plots.

Jahangiri noted that currently, Iran’s policy is to resist against the pressures and to find mechanism to decrease pressure on the people.

He added that the 12th government under President Hassan Rouhani has created some 3.5 million jobs.

Pointing out that protecting the health of people and their livelihood is a top priority of the government, Jahangiri said that the government makes every effort to maintain the existing jobs during these tough times.

He said the Coronavirus has affected all economic, social, political and cultural sectors worldwide but Iranians have resisted against it proudly and will continue resistance.

He noted that foreign policy is determinant in the industrial and economic policies.

Jahangiri also called exporters as the soldiers of the economic war front line as they are involved in fighting against the Americans and should be praised.

He said need of forex is one of the pressures during the sanctions and coronavirus era, and provision of forex for the country while the pressures of sanctions on oil exports is high and it is on the shoulder of exporters.

He said the country expects exporters to return their forex earned through exports into the national economy.

He reiterated that industry sector shone during the Coronavirus pandemic era as the producers did miracle in four months by multiplying the products.

Jahangiri said the government has created 500,000 jobs per year despite restricted sources. He further said Iran is a rich country with abundant wealth and it is among ten countries in terms of its metal mines.

Meanwhile in a Monday evening meeting with members of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Jahangiri said the U.S. government had plans for economic collapse of Iran through harsh and targeted sanctions, but the plot has ended in total failure.

“By the grace of God and with resistance from the great Iranian nation and the determination of all officials and the private sector, the American objective resulted in failure,” the vice president added.

While the outbreak of coronavirus has dealt a heavy blow to the world’s major and large economies, the pandemic, coupled with the sanctions, has harmed Iran’s economy as well, Jahangiri noted, saying the Iranian economy has been able to withstand the pressures and is going to overcome the problems.

“What is important is that all of us would try to help the country get through such difficult stage with success,” he noted.

The vice president also praised the Iranian private sector, exporters and importers for serving the country’s economy, saying the administration is doing its utmost to support and empower the private sector.

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IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

Pointing to the U.S. sanctions and its plot for toppling the Islamic establishment , Jahangiri reiterated that recent U.S. sanctions against Iran have been unprecedented  against any country and they wanted to topple the regime through economic collapse in the country but they failed.

He added that in such a condition, economic bodies and business activists in the private sector can come to the rescue of the people and in collaboration with the government they appease pressures of sanctions on the people.

He admitted that one cannot blame sanctions for last year’s shocks and turbulences and the government might have committed mistakes.

By pointing to the economic and trade capacities of Iran’s neighboring countries and the necessity to take advantage of it, Jahangiri said that today is the best time to take advantage of relations with neighboring states and the government welcomes economic formations and bodies which try to boost trade with those countries.

Meanwhile addressing the forum, Minister of Industry Mr. Reza Rahmani said that one of the strategies to overcome the economic war in the sanctions era is to focus on economic formations and people’s presence in the economy.

He added that chambers of commerce can play a key role in boosting business especially trade with other countries.

Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce urged the government not to use formation of economic bodies as a tool for political purpose, and criticized parallel economic bodies which threaten private sector.

Gholamhossein Shafei added that in this critical condition all should get closer together and support the private sector by removing hurdles in way of their activities.

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