“The Necessity of Attracting Foreign Investment for the Development of the Country’s Exports"

According to the Public Relations Office of the Iran Trade Promotion Organization, Mirhadi Seyyedi, in a comparative analysis, described the limited role of foreign investment in Iran’s exports as a “highly significant area” and a missed opportunity for the country’s economic development.

Presenting thought-provoking statistics from the experience of other countries, Seyyedi stated: Nearly 90 percent of the exports of some countries originate from foreign investment. This figure reflects the extent to which foreign investment influences export development in today’s world.

Referring to Vietnam, he added: Vietnam recorded 385 billion dollars in exports last year, more than 70 percent of which stemmed from foreign investment. Had Vietnam not attracted these investments, its exports today would stand at roughly 100 billion dollars instead of 385 billion.

The advisor to the Iran Trade Promotion Organization also emphasized that even China—which has achieved a remarkable export transformation—owes part of this success to foreign investment.

Expressing regret over Iran’s situation, Seyyedi said: Unfortunately, Iran has not succeeded in attracting foreign investment to the extent necessary, and the share of this sector in our country’s exports remains negligible. This represents a highly important area for the development of Iran’s exports, and we must make the necessary efforts in the coming years to capitalize on this exceptional potential.

The Role of Trade Agreements in Export Development

Seyyedi highlighted the successful performance of the “Iran–Eurasia Free Trade Agreement,” stating: Over the past five and a half years, Iran’s exports to the five Eurasian countries increased from nearly 600 million dollars to 2 billion dollars—an increase of 3.3 times.

He added: During the same period, the total trade volume between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union rose from about 2.5 billion dollars to approximately 6 billion dollars.

According to Seyyedi, with the implementation of the new Free Trade Agreement—which replaced the previous Preferential Trade Agreement on May 14 of this year—this positive trend has continued, and in the first six months of the current year, Iran’s exports to the union grew by 16 percent.

Global Inclination Toward Trade Agreements

The international affairs advisor at the Iran Trade Promotion Organization, citing World Trade Organization data, emphasized: More than half of global exports are destined for countries that have free trade agreements or similar pacts with one another.

He added: The number of such agreements has risen from 70 to more than 800 over the past 30 years, demonstrating their effectiveness.

Seyyedi concluded by expressing hope that Iran’s accession to partnerships such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will, in the future, create the necessary conditions for facilitating trade and expanding Iran’s exports to member countries.