According to the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Iran's share of the $45 trillion global trade volume last year was only 0.45%, with 85% of that related to oil revenues. In a conference on Saturday, January 3, Gholamhossein Shafiei stated that regarding the export situation, 'we have praised ourselves too much.' He said, 'In exports, we are not as significant as we claim. It is time to see the realities instead of glorifying ourselves and to work on solving existing problems.' He further pointed out the superficial focus of the country's exports on traditional goods, stating, 'We must accept that global trends do not proceed according to our desires, and past trends will not meet future needs.' Additionally, the President of the Chamber emphasized that 'merely exchanging goods does not guarantee the sustainability of our exports,' adding, 'In this situation, if we are to achieve export sustainability, we must pay special attention to the export of knowledge-based services, particularly technical and engineering services.' Shafiei noted that currently, the change in approach regarding industrial goods and capital flow in foreign markets has been neglected, which is why the slogan 'production for export' is not being realized. Previously, in the annual customs report of Iran, which contained 'complementary statistics' about Iran's non-oil foreign trade volume in 2013, it was stated that Iran's foreign trade had seen significant growth in the second half of 2013. According to this 207-page report published on the official customs website in April this year, the volume of Iran's non-oil exports in 2013 was $41.628 billion, showing a half percent increase compared to 2012. However, monthly customs reports indicated that Iran's export volume in the first half of 2013 was about $17.972 billion, reflecting a 14% decrease compared to the same period in 2012. On the other hand, in March of last year, some Iranian traders at the World Food Industry Exhibition in Dubai told Reuters that the status of Iran's non-oil exports had improved during Hassan Rouhani's presidency due to reduced pressure from sanctions.
President of Iran's Chamber of Commerce: We Are Not Significant in Exports
Gholamhossein Shafiei, President of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the country's minimal share in global exports and the need for a shift in focus towards knowledge-based services for sustainable growth. He criticized the superficial reliance on traditional goods and emphasized the importance of adapting to global market trends.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Gholamhossein Shafiei criticized Iran's export performance, stating that the country only accounts for 0.45% of global trade and emphasized the need to shift focus towards knowledge-based services for sustainable export growth.
- Iran's share of global trade was only 0.45%, primarily driven by oil revenues.
- Shafiei called for a change in export strategies to include technical and engineering services.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's economy has been under pressure from international sanctions, particularly affecting its oil exports, which are crucial for national revenue.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%