Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 8
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Iranian government eyes to join the World Trade Organization, the head of Institute for Trade Studies and Research, Mehdi Fat'hollah, said on January 8, the IRNA News Agency reported.
"Joining the WTO is among the top priorities of Iran's Industry, Mine, and Trade Ministry, Fat'hollah said. "Sanctions imposed on Iran are an obstacle for the country. So we need to solve this problem before joining the WTO."
Mohammad Reza Sabzalipour, Head of Iran World Trade Center, said in December that Iran will not benefit from the world trade profits, unless it joins the organization.
"The world powers and the 159 member states of WTO will not consider Iran as a reliable partner. I believe that it's nearly impossible for Tehran to join the organization in the next 10 years," he said.
"The most important obstacle is the United States' negative vote which will surely affect the other members' decisions. A realistic approach will show us that the United States' strong economy gives the country a special position, which brings other WTO member states under Washington's influence," Sabzalipour explained.
"The sanctions imposed on Tehran are also another cause for the delay and Tehran needs to accept harder conditions to join the organization," he added.
"The World Trade Organization always advises the countries that want to join the organization to first gain political support of the member states. So as long as we have political disputes with other countries, especially the world powers, we will lack their political support," he said.
"Therefore, if we think that they'll put aside the political disputes and just focus on the economic aspects during the negotiations, we certainly have a wrong attitude," he said.
Sabzalipour went on to note that the new deal has facilitated transactions between WTO member states, so the volume and value of inter-organization trades will rise significantly in future. However, the member states just trade with each other and will gradually avoid trade transactions with non-members such as Iran.