Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced his readiness to personally engage with leaders of neighboring countries and regional partners to secure imports of essential goods and medicines. This move comes as Tehran seeks to safeguard supply chains amid growing economic pressure. Pezeshkian emphasized the importance of resolving any obstacles to the supply and transfer of these vital resources as swiftly as possible, as per a statement from the presidency.
According to Anadolu Agency, the president's remarks were made during a meeting with economic ministers, the central bank governor, and other senior officials. The discussions focused on accelerating imports of essential goods, medicines, and developing alternative trade routes. Pezeshkian underscored the need to prevent price volatility and instructed officials to expand the use of alternative transport corridors and neighboring countries' logistical capacities to maintain the flow of supplies.
He advocated for increased use of Iran's northern ports and enhanced cooperation with countries like Pakistan, Russia, and Azerbaijan to facilitate the procurement and import of necessary goods. Participants at the meeting reviewed plans to boost imports through land crossings and alternative transport routes. They also explored the feasibility of importing medicines and other critical goods from China via rail. The president urged the Foreign Ministry to further activate economic diplomacy to secure the supply chain.
"All political, economic, and regional capacities of the country must be used to facilitate the process of procurement, transportation, clearance, and entry of basic goods and medicines so that there is no interruption in meeting the needs of the people," Pezeshkian stated.
According to the presidency, consultations with neighboring countries have already helped expand the capacity of several border crossings and alternative transportation routes. Meanwhile, the Iranian rial has depreciated by about 25% against the US dollar since the outbreak of the war between Iran and the US-Israel coalition on February 28. The currency weakened from approximately 1.4 million rials to nearly 1.75 million rials per dollar, contributing to higher prices for essential goods and medicines and increasing economic pressure on households across the country.
Iran is also contending with a naval blockade imposed by the US, which recently redirected 100 commercial ships from Iranian ports, further compounding the nation's economic challenges.