TEHRAN – The 21st meeting of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) board of representatives was held on Sunday to discuss appropriate economic strategies for the post-sanctions era, the ICCIMA portal reported.

The main focus of this meeting, which was chaired by the ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie, was the promotion of development economics and also expanding the country’s foreign trade through free and special economic zones.

Speaking at the meeting, the ICCIMA head referred to the developments achieved in the Vienna talks and the possibility of reaching an agreement and explained some points that should be considered by the government considering the private sector after the lifting of the sanctions.

“[If the sanctions are lifted] we should change the approach of the country’s economic management to development economics which has been greatly absence in the country's economy over the past decade,” he said.

“It is feared that this temporary opportunity [the lifting of sanctions] will be wasted like the experience in the first round of the talks, so the private sector suggests some measures to be put on the government's agenda in the short- and medium-term,” Shafeie added.

According to the official, managing foreign currency resources, sustainable supply of basic goods and raw materials, curbing inflation, developing production, amending rules and regulations, and promoting non-oil exports should be among the government’s top priorities when the sanctions are lifted.

Elsewhere in the meeting, the ICCIMA head welcomed Saeed Mohammad, the secretary of Iran's Free Zones High Council, to the meeting and mentioned some of the major issues related to the country’s free and special economic zones.

“One of the organizations that can play a key role in the economic growth of the country if sanctions are lifted is Free Zones High Council. If we look at the history of successful developing countries in the twentieth century, we find that free zones, without exception, have been one of the most important tools of governments to develop trade and boost exports,” the official said.

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Photo: ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie (R) and Secretary of Iran's Free Zones High Council Saeed Mohammad