TEHRAN - First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri said, on Saturday evening, that the government should support the country’s private sector as they are the economic frontiers in the battle against the coronavirus.

Speaking in a meeting with the Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani and his deputies, the official stressed the significant role of the private sector in the country’s economy, noting that: “this year we need non-oil exports more than ever, and the government’s priority is also promoting non-oil exports.”

"Our main focus is on non-oil exports," he said, adding "[promoting] non-oil exports should be on the agenda as a serious and strategic issue, and although we have budgetary constraints, government support will be provided."

He further noted that increasing non-oil exports to the neighboring countries is the country’s main priority since based on the sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (2016-2021) the value of such exports to the neighbors is planned to reach $48 million by the Iranian calendar year of 1400 (starts in March 2021).

Elsewhere in his remarks, Jahangiri noted that during the corona crisis the government should be ready to compensate for any reduction in the exports of steel or petrochemicals by promoting exports from other areas.

Iran has been following new strategies to expand non-oil exports during the sanctions time, one of which is to focus on the neighboring countries and the trade partners in the region, and it is, in fact, one of the top priorities of the government for defying the U.S. sanctions.

Opening trade centers in those countries and dispatching more commercial attachés there is an important measure to materialize this objective.

EF/MA

Photo: First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri (L) attends a meeting with the Industry Minister Reza Rahmani (R) and his deputies on Saturday evening.