Need to Engage Foreign Ministry to Advance Economic Policies

Advancing the administration’s economic policies requires proper coordination between the foreign ministry and relevant state organizations, according to the first vice president. 
“Such coordination is of great importance given the economic needs of the country and the development of the economic department in the foreign ministry,” Mohammad Mokhber said at a meeting with Iranian ambassadors on Saturday, ISNA reported. 
He added that economic relations, including with the private sectors of other countries, is a strong backing for upgrading political ties. 
“We need to … increase economic relations to preserve and deepen our friendly political ties with different countries,” he said. 
The vice president later stressed the need to provide Iranian embassies with the requirements of pursuing the government’s economic diplomacy. 
“It is essential to make coordination between different administrative and executive bodies to enable Iranian embassies abroad to create economic opportunities and promote the inflow of foreign currency,” he said. 
The government of President Ebrahim Raisi has given priority to economy in its foreign policy approach, according to Mokhber. 
“Unlike the past, when embassies chiefly played a political role, today Iranian missions and ambassadors are the main instruments for the country’s economic growth,” he said.
Therefore, he added, Iranian embassies in other countries are expected to follow up on agreements reached with foreign authorities during the president’s visits, so that their implementation would no longer face impediments. 
Mokhber also urged Iranian diplomats to gain full knowledge about the country’s potential in various sectors to be able to allure foreign investors. 
He said the fundamental role of the foreign ministry and Iranian missions abroad in fostering economic development needs to be spotlighted.  
To achieve the target economic growth of 8%, the country needs a $200 billion worth of investment, part of which can be supplied domestically, but the other part depends on the important role of Iranian missions in other countries in attracting the participation and financing of foreign investors, he explained. 

Dollar Sovereignty 

Mokhber later said that political arrangements between countries have undergone serious changes over the past two years, marked by the decline in the hegemony of the US dollar and America’s influence. 
“This country can no longer address its economic issues at the lowest price and impose the costs on other countries using the sovereignty of the dollar,” he said. 
He also emphasized the need to reduce the vital role of the US dollar in all countries’ economic system. 
Iran’s economy has suffered since the US reimposed tough unilateral sanctions following its exit from the 2015 nuclear deal five years ago. 
The Iranian government put it on top of its agenda to neutralize the sanctions through different means, including the diversification of foreign relations and reducing reliance on the US dollar as a medium of exchange. 
Most recently, Iran proposed the idea of de-dollarization at a meeting of the Asian Clearing Union in Tehran, which was attended by the heads of central banks of member states. 
“This indicates that, under the new circumstances, major changes must be made in the country’s diplomacy and foreign policy missions,” Mokhber said.