Javad Zarif's Response to Criticism of the Foreign Ministry's Trade Policies

Iran's Foreign Minister defended his ministry's economic policies on Tuesday, emphasizing efforts to prioritize an economic perspective. In a comprehensive interview with ISNA, Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that the Foreign Ministry has undertaken two significant tasks in the economic domain. One of the most important was to incorporate economic thinking, design, and planning into the ministry's agenda while also working to eliminate barriers that hindered the country's foreign economic activities. According to the Islamic Republic's chief diplomat, the Foreign Ministry had previously maintained a political and security-oriented outlook due to regional and global realities, the imposed war, and nuclear issues. He pointed out that banking obstacles created by sanctions had prevented exporters of technical and engineering services from offering their services abroad, and it was the ministry's duty to facilitate this process. In response to claims that the visits of foreign traders and entrepreneurs to Iran have yielded no results, Zarif questioned how some could quickly conclude that the JCPOA had been ineffective and that these visits were merely ceremonial after a long period of Iran being economically isolated. Zarif's comments may refer to statements made by Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a presidential candidate, who expressed regret that trade and economics had not been prioritized within the Foreign Ministry's structure. Zarif emphasized that hundreds of entrepreneurs and businesses have come to Iran since the JCPOA, and the Foreign Ministry has fulfilled its responsibilities to attract these opportunities. He added, 'Today, we cooperate with all countries based on normal processes. We sell our oil and receive our money, and if we want to attract investment, we do so according to normal global regulations, rather than being forced to block some of our funds for guaranteeing foreign investments or financing.' Zarif noted that billions of dollars in investment proposals are currently available, but these have not been signed due to concerns about conditions that may not favor Iranian labor and technology or could harm Iranian goods production. Qalibaf criticized the Foreign Ministry, stating that diplomacy should serve the country's economy and that structural changes are necessary for this purpose. He argued that the ministry's structure is designed to respond only to political and national security needs, which prevents it from addressing Iran's primary concern: economic growth. Citing advanced countries like South Korea and Japan, he stated that their economic development is largely due to their diplomatic apparatus actively seeking markets for their producers, and they even established independent ministries for developing international trade and economic relations that work directly with the Foreign Ministry. He announced that if he wins the presidential election, he would establish a 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.'