Iran seeks new export markets amid war and sanctions, minister says

Photo: Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Iran is working to identify new markets to increase the country's product exports, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said at the National Export Day Conference held in Tehran on Wednesday.

This was reflected in a statement by the Iranian MFA.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is trying to remove the obstacles faced by Iranian exporters and simplify export procedures,” he noted.

Araghchi noted that, under current circumstances, Iran is facing war, military threats, and large-scale sanctions.

“The reality is that Iran is currently at war, and the war is still ongoing. Iran has not yet achieved peace; it still has some way to go before reaching peace. Based on this, all decisions must be made within a framework appropriate to the conditions of war," he remarked.

The minister said that Iranian exporters play a significant role in this war, a conflict in which the economic dimension is of great importance.

Araghchi added that Iran's borders, rather than serving as a transit point for the movement of goods, have turned into a place where cargo gets held up.

“The Iranian MFA is working to identify the source of this problem and find a solution.

To increase the export of its products, Iran must take steps toward reducing tariffs in neighboring countries. The Iranian MFA is working to expand the diplomatic activities of provinces located along the borders with neighboring nations. Neighboring countries have always been a priority in Iran's foreign policy. Given the country's current circumstances, these neighbors hold even greater significance, particularly in the economic sphere," he also pointed out.