Heads of the specialized commissions of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture recently met with other high-ranking private sector representatives to outline their proposals to reduce the effects of newly reimposed US sanctions against Iran's economy.
A broader private sector inclusion in the economy, mainly through better participation in government decision-making, was a major talking point in the meeting held on November 18, ICCIMA's official news website reported.
Addressing the meeting, ICCIMA President Gholamhossein Shafei said the private sector has strived in various ways to convey its views to the government, but has often been ignored.
"The fact that the Central Bank of Iran recently held a meeting with private sector representatives on currency repatriation shows that the private sector's advice is crucial," he said.
Currency repatriation, whose revised regulations have been lately unveiled, was another major talking point during the private sector meeting.
Mohamamd Reza Ansari, an ICCIMA deputy head, said the private sector is completely against currency repatriation as a principle, but the central bank says it cannot eliminate the policy altogether at a time when the country is hit by stringent US sanctions and needs to replenish currency reserves.
US sanctions were reimposed in two stages in August and November after Donald Trump in May unilaterally withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.
During the meeting, Ansari also referred to small- and medium-sized enterprises as a major way of continuing trade in the face of sanctions.
"Giving them the leeway they need will significantly weaken sanctions," he said.
Ali Shams Ardakani, the head of Energy Commission of ICCIMA, proposed that the private sector must form a specialized anti-sanctions workgroup that will be tasked with identifying SMEs and outlining a roadmap for them.
"During this time, the focus should be on the cooperation of Iranian and European SMEs," he said.
As Mohsen Hajibaba, a member of ICCCIMA's board of representatives, said one of the main issues with the SMEs is that "there is no clear definition for them" in the country.
He called on the government to take a more proactive approach in helping and guiding the SMEs, saying a more comprehensive statistical system must also be devised for them.
Michael Tockuss, the head of Iran-German Chamber of Commerce, recently told DM that despite tougher US sanctions against Tehran, German small- and medium-sized companies will continue to trade with Iran.
"The backbone of our economy, small- and medium-sized companies, they will continue to do trade with Iran and we expect every month between €200-250 million exports from Germany to Iran, even in the future," he said in an interview with Germany's public international broadcaster.
Reuters quoted German government spokesman, Steffen Seibert, as saying that Germany is convinced that it should enable legal business relations with Iran and is checking how to protect companies affected by sanctions reimposed on Iran by Washington.
Hajibaba also said any punitive crackdown in the economic atmosphere of the country, especially on money exchanges, "will have negative repercussions for the operations of all companies".
Hassan Hosseinqoli, the deputy head of Mines Commission of ICCIMA, referred to shipping—an area that was heavily hit with sanctions—and rising transportation costs as very serious issues.
"We must not tighten the noose of foreign sanctions by issuing various government directives and creating local sanctions," he said.
Gholamali Fareqi, the head of Agriculture and Food Commission of ICCIMA, said a lack of raw materials is emerging as a serious issue.
He called on the government to reduce the period of registering import orders and refrain from delays in correcting the base export prices.
Challenges in the medical industry, especially government debts to manufacturing companies which have disrupted the medicine supply chain, were referred to as another major issue by Hassan Shokouhi, a member of ICCIMA's board of representatives.
"Medicines are not technically sanctioned, but problems in international transfers due to US sanctions have created many problems," which could stagnate the sector, he warned.
Lastly, Ahmad Asghari Qajari, the head of Tourism Commission of ICCIMA, pointed out that the tourism industry should be prioritized, especially since positive developments have materialized due to a weakened rial that has made travels to Iran much cheaper.
"The industry must be viewed as a major opportunity to bring foreign currencies into the country during the time of sanctions," he said.
