General Framework for Separating Trade from Industry Approved; 'Trade' on the Verge of Returning to the Ministry Circle

The revival of the Ministry of Trade, despite contradicting the Sixth Development Plan aimed at expanding the government, has received approval in the parliament, with its general framework being ratified by the representatives. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, as the Speaker of the Parliament, emphasized that as long as no expansion occurs in the executive bodies, this plan did not require a two-thirds majority vote from the representatives. Hossein Goudarzi, spokesperson for the Social Commission of the Parliament, defended the revival of this ministry and criticized the performance of the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade (IMT), stating that the goals of merging the Ministry of Trade into the Ministry of Industry and Mines have not been achieved, leading to issues in the distribution of essential goods such as rice, meat, and chicken, as well as rising prices of household appliances, indicating disruption in the distribution system. This parliament member confirmed the chaos in the country's supply and distribution system, mentioning that governors and provincial officials are currently distributing chicken and essential items around the clock, which reflects a breakdown in the distribution system. In opposition to this bill, Abolfazl Abutalebi, another parliament member, stated, 'Separation will cost 5 trillion tomans.' Abutalebi also considered the separation of the Ministry of Trade contrary to the Sixth Development Plan, emphasizing that according to this plan, the government should be reduced by 15 percent, and the approval of the Ministry of Trade requires a two-thirds majority in the parliament. Rouhollah Izadkhah, another parliament member, also opposed this bill, stressing that in a situation where the IMT does not have the funds to change its sign, how can we afford the separation of the Ministry of Trade from the IMT? Izadkhah regarded the revival of the Ministry of Trade as a factor accelerating imports, stating that as imports increase, we will witness more pressure on the currency, leading to a deeper currency crisis for the country and, on the other hand, causing inflation. Abdolnasir Derakhshan, another parliament member, also opposed the establishment of the Ministry of Trade, reminding that separating the IMT and Trade to control inflation is a misguided approach, stating, 'To manage inflation, we should refer to the Central Bank and the Planning and Budget Organization, as the increase in liquidity is the cause of inflation.' According to this parliament member, the Central Bank resorted to printing money to solve the problems of other banks, resulting in a 34 percent increase in the country's currency value. Derakhshan regarded the vote in favor of establishing the Ministry of Trade as a 'historical mistake.' The Ministries of Industry and Mines and Trade were merged during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, and Mehdi Ghazanfari, the then-Minister of Trade, managed to sideline Ali Akbar Mehrabian, the Minister of Industry and Mines at that time, to become the first Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade in the Islamic Republic. The expansion of trade outside the norm; the 'barter' locomotive has reached Pakistan. Media speculation in Iran; the establishment of the Ministry of Trade has gone to the sidelines. Essential goods on the road to inflation; some items in the livelihood basket have become more expensive again. The parliament voted for the 'urgency' of establishing the Ministry of Trade. Efforts by the Raisi government to organize trade affairs; this time the establishment of a 'Ministry' instead of an 'Organization.'