TEHRAN – During a meeting of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA)’s Mining and Mineral Industries Committee, the members called on the government to exempt small mines from paying export duties, the ICCIMA portal reported on Wednesday.

In the meeting, Bahram Shakouri, the head of the committee, warned against the consequences of levying export duties on raw and semi-raw materials for small private mines and said: “At least non-governmental units should be exempted from such duties.”

According to Shakouri, the government’s decision to levy duties on minerals will stop the inflow of foreign currency and will ultimately harm the government.

“The implementation of the new regulation will also stop foreign investment. Why should an investor invest when the company's profit can be easily affected by a circular,” he said.

EF/MA