High Time for Active Economic Diplomacy

EghtesadOnline: It is essential for Iran to pursue active economic diplomacy to promote its interests by forging cooperation with neighboring countries while the country is under harsh American sanctions, a lawmaker said.

News ID: ۷۴۷۶۳۶

22 June 2019

"Fostering closer relations with countries such as Russia, China, Turkey, Iraq and so on with the aim of improving the level of  trade is among the missions of the Foreign Ministry's Economic Department," Abolfazl Hassan-Beigi, a member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also told ICANA.

He pointed to the considerable amount of energy exports to neighboring countries, especially Iraq, as an example of such efforts.

"New trade deals with Iraq in the energy sector are on the agenda, as part of diplomatic efforts to counter the effects of economic sanctions," Financial Tribune quoted him as saying.

Economic restrictions have been imposed on Iran by the United States after it exited the 2015 nuclear deal last year.

As the American pressure intensified, Iran increased its diplomatic engagement with regional countries to maintain mutual trade.

In a latest move, President Hassan Rouhani attended two major Asian summits where he invited businesspeople and investors to the Iranian market and also expressed readiness to engage in their projects.

At the recent conference of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the president noted that the country's rich resources and strategic geographical position, along with its sustainable security and skilled workforce, provide a myriad of opportunities for investors and businesses in the member states.

Later, addressing the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, Rouhani said Iranian traders, industrial companies and exporters of engineering and technical services are ready to cooperate in the development projects of member states.

Hassan-Beigi also urged the country's diplomatic corps to be alert and not to miss a chance for attracting foreign investment.

"Iran's ambassadors should each act as an economic consultant beyond the country’s borders," he said.