Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.5
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: International sanctions have hindered foreign companies building 30 ships for Iran, the Tasnim News Agency quoted he Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) Managing Director Mohammad Hossein Dajmar as saying on Feb. 5.
We had ordered foreign manufacturers to build 30 ships for us, but the sanctions stopped the process, he added.
We had even prepaid sums of money to the manufacturers, Dajmar noted.
It is hoped that the Geneva deal will let us resume the process, he said, adding that we will develop comprehensive plans to expand activities of the shipping line.
Iran and the P5+1 reached a nuclear agreement on Nov. 24. Iran has agreed to curb some of its nuclear activities for six months in return for sanctions relief.
Iran and the P5+1 group started implementing the agreement on Jan. 20.
Under the agreement, six major powers agreed to give Iran access to $4.2 billion in revenues blocked overseas if it carries out the deal, which offers sanctions relief in exchange for steps to curb the Iranian nuclear program.
In July 2013, Dajmar said the smart performance of Iran's shipping lines has left those who imposed sanctions on the country mixed up.
The illogical and baseless sanctions of the West against the country have targeted the economic infrastructures, he said, adding that although the IRISL has made every effort to deal with the sanctions, their negative effects on the activity of the shipping lines cannot be ignored.
He added that the IRISL is currently active with 148 ships, all of them are owned by the IRISL.
Despite all the existing restrictions, the IRISL is planning to add a number of new ships to its fleet, he noted.