Esfandiar Omidbakhsh also said that a priority in the program is that Iran should take preliminary steps prior to joining WTO.
“We have first planned to improve our bilateral, regional, and global ties.”
Many countries have recently traced preferential contracts, Omidbakhsh stated, saying that Iran is preparing to sign such contracts with Turkey, Pakistan, Syria, and Lebanon. Presently, 147 out of 148 WTO members have entered international bilateral and multilateral contracts, he added.
“We should actuate Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) as the only regional foundation in which we can take a critical role as a member,” the official stressed.
He added that so far, the Iranian officials have set some regulations such as transforming non-tariff barriers in order to facilitate commercial activities. “However, it seems insufficient in view of the fact that Iran must sooner or later join WTO,” he said.
Iranian industrialists have already realized that they cannot achieve high trading levels unless they keep up pace with world standards, Omidbakhsh concluded.
ER/SRM/IS
END
MNA