ICCIMA head: Russian attractive market for Iranian merchants

TEHRAN, Mar. 30 (MNA) – ICCIMA Head Shafei, while describing Russia as an attractive market for Iranian businessmen, said Iran was pursuing free trade with five Eurasian countries. Following a visit to Moscow, Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholamhossein Shafei said private sector played a major role in realizing the Leader’s motto of ‘Economy of Resistance: Employment, Production’ adding “one main principle of Resistance Economy, as emphasized by the Leader of Islamic Republic, is to publicize the economy since success is achieved whenever the people are entrusted.” He defined Resistance Economy as resilience against economic shocks which can be attained once existing economic challenges are identified. “Perhaps the biggest challenge in the face of economic shocks is mono-product economy and heavy dependence on oil as any fluctuation on crude prices can affect the whole economy.” Head of ICCIMA went on to touch upon major ways of realizing Resistance Economy as regards the private sector saying “raising the share of private sector the country’s economy, reducing reliance on oil revenues, creation of sufficient gravity for more productivity and higher levels of risk-taking remain as important priorities that need due consideration.” On outcomes of the visit of high-ranking delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia and the share of private sector in the two countries' strategic partnership, Shafei said “Russia offers extraordinary capacities to Iran’s private sector from a wide range of dimensions.” “Russia is a neighbor of Iran and the two sides hold good conditions in water, air and rail ways,” said the official adding “in view of their geographical location, Tehran and Moscow could pursue economic development through trilateral and multilateral cooperation.” He said the issue had a significant impact on development of Iran's exports and, in addition, the two parties enjoyed top positions in regional transit which offers a good opportunity for the Iranian private sector. “In previous negotiations and the current visit, we followed up the issue of conducting preferential tariff with Eurasian states,” underscored the official noting that Iran was pursuing the issue of free trade with Eurasia. Iran entering free trade with five Eurasian countries will marks a leap in development of our economic relations with countries in the region,” ICCIMA head concluded.