A Chamber of Commerce Member Reports on Automakers Entering the Export of Pistachios and Steel

A member of Iran's Chamber of Commerce has stated that automakers are exporting goods such as pistachios, copper, steel, and other items to secure the currency needed for importing parts. Mehdi Tabibzadeh told the government news agency ILNA that this is an unconventional solution, and alongside automakers, home appliance manufacturers and mobile importers are also resorting to selling items like pistachios, copper, and steel in foreign markets to secure currency. According to this Chamber of Commerce official, these groups have no problem paying any amount of customs duties as their goal and focus from exporting these goods is to bring in raw materials for production, and they have no commitment to market-making principles and marketing in the market for these goods, especially the pistachio market in Iran, and may even conduct transactions at a loss. Experts believe that while this method may solve the currency supply and import of necessary raw materials in the short term, it will have negative effects on Iran's foreign trade in the long run and could even lead to the loss of Iran's share in the market for certain goods, including pistachios.