Iran Chamber chief calls for measures to counter external economic pressure

Iran must counter the costs of external economic pressure through pragmatic policies and decisions based on national interests, the president of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture said on Wednesday, calling for a coordinated plan to sustain foreign trade.

Samad Hassanzadeh made the remarks at the 30th National Export Day ceremony, attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying Iranian exporters and businesspeople had maintained shipments despite difficult economic conditions and wartime pressures. Protecting exports was a strategic necessity for safeguarding jobs, generating foreign currency and preserving Iran’s economic credibility, Hassanzadeh said. He praised the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran and other government bodies for helping overcome export barriers and maintain access to international markets. He said foreign trade continued to face uncertainty, economic pressure, trade restrictions and threats to transport routes amid a “neither war nor peace” situation. Adversaries were seeking to weaken Iran’s economic competitiveness by raising the costs of trade, he added. Hassanzadeh called for the government and private sector to respond jointly by maintaining trade flows and removing domestic obstacles. He proposed establishing a task force to ensure the continuity of foreign trade, bringing together the government, private sector, customs authorities, the Central Bank of Iran and other relevant institutions. Key measures should include diversifying transport routes, simplifying customs and border procedures, strengthening trade insurance and risk management, and improving coordination among government agencies, he said. Hassanzadeh also warned that Iranian exporters risked losing established markets if they could not compete with regional and international rivals on production costs, payment terms, tariffs and transport expenses. Recovering markets lost by exporters would not be easy, he said, urging the government to provide appropriate support. He called for economic diplomacy to deliver practical results through tariff and transport agreements, the removal of customs barriers and stronger cooperation with neighboring countries. Hassanzadeh said the chamber, provincial chambers and business associations had systematically collected private-sector concerns and proposed solutions, urging authorities to turn these demands into a prioritized action plan with clear deadlines and measurable follow-up.