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| Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Governorship |
Some officials in Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province, including the province's customs supervisor, Sadiq Namdar, have reported a decline in the province’s exports.
According to Fars News Agency, during a meeting in Tabriz focused on trade relations with Iraq, Sadiq Namdar stated that despite the province's high industrial potential, its share in exports remains low.
Namdar noted that last year, Iran's total exports to Iraq amounted to $4.54 billion, of which East Azerbaijan's customs exports contributed only $151 million.
Criticism regarding the economic situation in East Azerbaijan was also raised by the head of the Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, Yunus Jaele.
Speaking at a meeting on managing exports and imports held in Tabriz, Jaele highlighted that the province's exports have decreased compared to other provinces. He identified weaknesses in the transportation and logistics sectors as significant factors contributing to this decline.
“Our transportation sector lacks a disciplined plan to ensure the logistics chain, which is one of the country's weaknesses,” he said, adding that there is insufficient collaboration to address this issue and improve the current situation.
Jaele also cited the existence of multiple foreign exchange rates in the country as another major challenge for businesspeople.
Referring to the geostrategic importance of Tabriz, the head of the Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, Yunus Jaele, emphasized that the city has historically served as a “crossroads of trade between East and West.” He expressed regret that East Azerbaijan Province has long lost this position.
Link to the original text in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Şərqi Azərbaycanda bəzi rəsmilər vilayətin iqtsadiyyatında azalma olduğunu bildirib